Just a Man f
by Sharnhorst
Summary: Vince McMahon's goddaughter comes visiting and meets Mark Calloway. **STORY COMPLETED**
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One 

Amy stood outside the office door and wiped her palms down her jeans clad legs. It had been nearly five years since she had seen her Godfather, Vince McMahon, and she felt a little nervous. Not that she thought her visit would be unwelcome, because she knew it wasn't .Her recent call to Stephanie had confirmed that. But, even so, she couldn't help feeling a bit jittery. The whole atmosphere of the arena was overwhelming. Everywhere she looked there were huge men walking about in strange costumes and even the security guards were enormous, making her feel even tinier than her 5' 1" height. It was odd really, she thought. She had watched wrestling on TV years ago when she was about 12 and had loved it, using it as an escape really, but over the last ten years she hadn't really taken any notice of it, other less pleasant parts of her life taking over. The last time she had seen Vince it had been away from this sort of place so she hadn't been surrounded by these hulking people. She decided that big men looked great on TV, but up close they were extremely intimidating. In fact, the only large man she ever really got that close to other than her father was Vince himself, and he had always been like a true father to her so she felt safe with him. Her eyes darted up and down the corridor before she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. 

"Yeah, come in," she heard Vince call out and she opened the door and poked her head around it. 

"Er...hi..." she said hesitantly, giving a small smile as he looked over his desk at her. His face lit up in surprise before he stood and held his arms out to her. 

"Peaches ?What the hell are you doing here? Come here and give me a hug!" 

Amy's smile broadened at his nickname for her and she crossed the room to give him a hug, laughing as he grabbed her arms and pushed her away from him so he could bend and stare into her face. 

"To what do I owe this rare pleasure?" 

"I heard you were in town and so...you know..." she shrugged and grinned at him, blowing a strand of curly red hair out of her sparkling green eyes. 

"Uh-huh. But you don't live in this town, honey, in fact you don't live in this State," he reminded her, giving her a suspicious look. 

"Okay, okay. So I felt like visiting, alright?" 

"Okay," Vince agreed easily. "Why?" 

"Well, you know, since my mum died...you're really the only family I've got left to visit now," she admitted, hating the loneliness she sometimes felt. 

Vince hugged her again. "That's okay honey, you can visit me anytime you like. Does Stephanie know you're here?" 

She nodded. "Yeah, I phoned her so I'd be able to get in okay and surprise you." 

"So you're still sneaky, huh?" Vince teased her, remembering what she had been like as a child, at least in the rare times she had been allowed to act like a normal child. 

"I try my best!" Amy laughed and sat in the chair he indicated. 

"How long are you going to be here?" 

Amy shrugged again and felt slightly embarrassed. She had just recently lost her job in extremely uncomfortable circumstances and she was pretty much at a loose end, but she didn't want to tell him that just yet. No matter how welcoming he was being, he had always treated her like another daughter and she knew she would get a stern lecture for managing to get fired, even though it hadn't been her fault. "I'm not sure yet, I haven't decided." 

"Well, where are you staying?" 

"Nowhere good, I must admit," she said wryly, naming a motel on the outskirts of town that she had been able to afford. She had spent the bulk of what money she had getting a flight here once she had found out from Stephanie where they would be. 

Vince stared at her as he sat in his chair and pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing on her rapidly reddening face. "Okay, tell the truth. You're in trouble aren't you?" he asked her, knowing there was something the matter by her carefully guarded expression. 

"Not really. No. Nothing," she mumbled. "Are you free for lunch?" she asked brightly, trying to change the subject. 

"Oh, no, uh-uh, don't try and wriggle out of it. Tell me," Vince insisted, leaning back and resting his hands over his stomach. 

Amy was just wondering how to worm her way out of having to answer when there was a knock on the door and it opened before Vince said a word. She swung around to see who it was and found herself staring, wide eyed, up at the most enormous man she had ever seen. He completely filled the doorway! she thought in amazement as she took in his appearance and then quickly averted her eyes when he looked down at her. He had red hair, covered in a bandanna so she couldn't see his hairline. He wore a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, and he had green eyes, like hers, underneath his frowning eyebrows. His body would have been intimidating enough just from it's sheer size, but the fact that his entire arms were covered in tattoos made him look even more fearsome to her eyes. She had absolutely no idea who he was, but he made the room feel instantly smaller. 

Vince smiled at the newcomer. "Morning, Mark. Problem?" 

Mark Calloway studied the petite woman sitting opposite his boss and then turned his attention away from her, wondering vaguely who she was. "Nothing much," he said, his voice a deep rumble in the room that seemed to make Amy's nerve endings spark. "Glenn and I wanted to know if you'd come up with any ideas about our match tonight?" 

Vince nodded and rifled through the papers on his desk. "Here," he said, handing some of them to the huge man. "These are your scripts for the show, not too many words so even your thick skull should be able to absorb it in time!" 

Mark glared at Vince in mock anger. "Ha, ha, very funny." His eyes looked at the script briefly before swivelling to examine the extremely quiet female again. Very nice, he thought as his eyes ran down the length of body. She had long red hair that was haphazardly drawn away from her face, but kept escaping. Her small hands kept fluttering up to push bits of it back. She had a pale, elfin face, dominated by large eyes that she currently kept lowered, almost as if she was nervous. Mark frowned. He was used to making people nervous, but he didn't like it. He continued his appraisal of her, taking in her delicate frame and the curves that she seemed to be trying to conceal underneath a shapeless sweater. Her legs were encased in jeans and were slender, but far too short, he mused, wondering how tall she was when she stood up. 

Amy became aware of the silence in the office and reluctantly darted her gaze up to see what the quietness was all about. She found the massive man staring at her, a small smile curving his lips as he saw her startled glance before she dropped her eyes again. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me," Vince said, making a show of getting out of his chair and introducing the two of them. "Mark Calloway, this is my goddaughter, Amber Travis, known by all as Amy. Amy, honey, this is Mark Calloway, one of my finest wrestlers." He deliberately didn't tell her Mark's pseudonym. He had seen the way Mark had looked at her and he wondered what might come of it, if anything. Despite what people thought after seeing his various womanising actions for television, he was a romantic at heart and loved nothing better than setting people up together, although he would have to tread carefully with these two, for various reasons. 

"It's an honour to meet you, ma'am," Mark drawled politely, extending his hand and wondering if this mouse like woman would even dare to take it. 

Amy stared at the enormous ham-like hand he held out to her and fought with her nerves for a few seconds before reluctantly offering her own hand. Her fingers were engulfed immediately by his, his hand closing up and over her wrist where he was so much bigger than her. "I'm...p...pleased to meet you," she said quietly, not wishing to appear rude. 

Mark's eyebrows arched over his emerald eyes at her accent. "You from England darlin'?" 

"I...er...used to be...but..." Amy stumbled over her words and abruptly stopped talking, her nerves getting the better of her. She wished he'd let go of her hand. 

Vince frowned at her reaction, knowing the reason for it. "She used to live in England with her Mom and Dad, but they got divorced and she moved here a few years back. You've lived in lots of different places, haven't you honey?" 

Amy nodded dumbly, still staring at the huge hand holding hers. Mark saw the look and gently released her, moving to a chair nearby and dropping himself into it. "So where do you live now? In this city?" he asked, wanting to hear that pleasant soft tone again, despite the fact that she was starting to look terrified. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two 

"No, I live in San Antonio," she mumbled, relieved that he had let go of her, but still able to feel the heat burning into her fingers. 

"Texas, interesting. So you've lived all over, huh? How long have you been in San Antonio now?" 

Amy stared at him blankly. Why was he continuing to talk to her? Most people were completely put off by her obvious jitters. Most men, that is. "Just over a year, now." 

"Not long then? What do you for a living?" Mark smiled at her, encouraging her to speak. She was so damn nervous, but he felt an undeniable urge to draw her out, get to know her. His smile widened as he realised how closely her colouring resembled his. 

"I worked in an office for a company making auto parts," she said, not realising what she was giving away by saying that. 

Vince's eyes narrowed at her words. "_Worked_? Past tense?" 

Amy jumped when he spoke and she realised what she had said. "Well, I...I can explain," she said, staring at Vince warily. 

"Mmm-hmm, this should be good. You've lost your job haven't you?" 

"It wasn't my fault," she began, about to defend herself. 

"Really? Were you laid off?" 

"Well, no," she admitted. 

"Did you quit?" 

Amy bit her thumbnail and shook her head. Vince gave her a knowing look. "Were you fired?" 

"Yes, but it isn't like it sounds!" she said, her voice getting stronger as she thought of the circumstances of her dismissal. 

"Hmm, well, we'll have a little chat about that later on, okay? In the meantime, I have work to do. What you can do is go and get your stuff from that rat hole you're staying in and bring it back here. You can stay with me and Linda. No arguments!" he barked at her when she went to protest, waiting with eyebrows raised until she settled back in her chair and stared sulkily at him. "My God, you haven't changed a bit. Get that sulky look off your face, it won't work!" he said, smiling as she immediately wiped the look off her face. He tried never to be too loud with her, or too harsh when he tried to help her along in life, because he knew what she had been through in her young life and why she was so nervous all the time. He twisted his lips thoughtfully. 

He hadn't seen her in nearly five years, not since she had buried her mother, although they kept in touch by writing and phone calls, and he had always felt like he should be doing more for her. She had never asked him for anything, ever, and he knew that she had been struggling to live for a while now. Losing her job could just be the boost she needed to let him help her. He started formulating a plan, continuing to talk to her and not showing what he was up to. 

"How did you get here from the motel?" 

"I took a cab," she said, clearing her throat when she noticed she was being observed carefully by the big man named Mark. 

"Right, well, I'll get a Limo to take you back and wait for you," Vince said, reaching for the phone. 

Amy's hand shot out and covered his. "No! Don't do that, I don't want to be any trouble. I'll just get a cab back, it's okay," she insisted, looking worried. 

Vince turned his hand over and caught her fingers lightly. "You are no trouble at all, honey, and you never will be. Besides, I'm not willing to let you take a cab on your own, it's too dangerous. If I'd known you were coming I'd have arranged for you to be collected, I don't want you getting into any trouble when there's no-one around to help you. Take the limo, the driver won't mind, believe me!" 

"I wouldn't feel right, though, turning up in a big posh car like that," she mumbled, feeling embarrassed at the other man's intent stare. 

"I could give her a lift," Mark offered, leaning casually forward to rest his arms on the desk. "I don't have anything to do until later anyway, so a drive would be pretty good right now." 

Vince smiled broadly and nodded. "Great idea, Mark, it'll be nice to know she's in safe hands." He turned to Amy, watching with amusement the look of horror she quickly concealed. "Linda's just down the corridor with Stephanie, why don't you go say hello?" he asked her, diverting her attention away from Mark. She nodded and left the room, aware of being stared at the whole time. 

Mark waited until the door had closed and then turned to smile at Vince. "I thought her legs looked short. How tall is she?" 

"About 5 ft, I think. A veritable midget. What do you think of her?" the older man asked, interested to know what Mark had made of her. 

"Painfully shy, incredibly nervous, very pretty. Far too tiny for me, though," he said with a grin. 

Vince frowned. "I wasn't offering her to you. Besides, why the hell would she want anything to do with an ugly old biker like you?" he asked, grinning at the expression on the other man's face. 

"Less of the insults, old man," Mark drawled. "There is one thing I'd like to know about your goddaughter, though. Actually, two things." 

"And they are?" 

"How old is she? And who used to beat on her?" 

Vince nodded and smiled ruefully. Not much got past this man's eyes. "She's twenty-two and her father used to beat on her. Pretty badly by all accounts. I got her and her mother away from him and brought them over here, but they wouldn't let me set them up. Proud women, both of them, never asked for or expected anything. I wish I could've done more for them. I intend to try." 

"She lives with her mother?" 

"No, her mom died a while back. She's been alone since she was seventeen, no family. The useless piece of shit that was her father drunk himself to death, and she's well rid of him. How did you know, by the way?" 

Mark raised his eyebrows. "About the beatings? I've seen that look in the eyes before, seen that sort of nervousness, it didn't take a genius to work it out. What was her father like?" 

"Big, really big. Not as big as you, but a hell of a lot bigger than her. He was pounding on her the day I went to get them and I walked in on it," Vince said, anger making his face stiff as he remembered the sight of Amy cowering in a corner while the huge man punched her as hard as he could, Amy's mother trying to pull him off her. 

"What did you do?" Mark asked, feeling angry himself at the thought of such a delicate creature getting beaten. 

"I broke his arm and a few ribs as well, then I got the two girls to the hospital. You know, she actually asked me to tell him she was sorry for whatever it was she had done. I couldn't believe it, her face was so badly beaten she could barely talk at all, and that was what she chose to say. I think that even now, buried somewhere inside her, she still feels that it was her fault." Vince sighed and tightened his lips at the memory. "As for him, I don't know what happened to him after that, and I don't care. When I heard eight years ago that he'd died, I was glad. Amy took a long time to recover from that experience physically, not to mention all the ones before. Mentally she hasn't recovered at all. It'd be nice to get her to open up a bit more. She used to be a talkative little thing, but now she's scared of her own shadow, and she won't go to counselling," Vince said, shaking his head. "Believe it or not, but that girl has a fiery temper to match all that red hair. Sometimes I get a tiny glimpse of it in her eyes, but it never gets any further than that. I guess she's afraid to let it go." 

"You said you intended to help her. What are you gonna to do?" 

"I'll offer her a job, first off. She can travel with us, so she'll start feeling safe again. I have a feeling though, that she isn't telling me everything. I'll get it out of her tonight," he said grimly. 

"You're not gonna yell at her?" Mark asked, feeling quite concerned. 

Vince's eyebrows shot up. "What do you care?" 

"She doesn't seem the type who would enjoy being yelled at, especially by an evil old man like you!" Mark shot back, grinning. 

Vince chuckled at his words, enjoying the camaraderie they shared. Not that anyone would know it, from the way they acted in the ring whenever there was a confrontation. "Yeah well, I'm not going to yell at her, don't worry." He raised an eyebrow and smirked at the other man. "You liked the look of her then huh?" 

"Who wouldn't, she's a pretty little thing," Mark mused, contemplating what it would be like to hold her against him. He liked small women, but they were invariably afraid of him. "I'll take her to the motel and wait, then bring her back safe and sound." 

"Good. I don't know that I'd trust her care to anyone else," Vince told him. 

Mark stood up and smiled wickedly. "Don't place too much trust in me Vince, I'm a man like any other." 

"Not quite like any other, and I do vividly remember what you were like a few months ago, so I'll give you fair warning. You touch her and I'll break your neck," Vince said amiably. 

"I'm just shaking in my boots," Mark told him, turning as the door opened and Amy stepped back into the room. His eyes roamed up and down her body. "You ready, ma'am?" 

Amy looked as if she were about to step into the jaws of hell, but she took a deep breath and nodded, her eyes darting to her godfather. 

"You'll be fine with Mark, honey. I'll see you later okay?" he said, stepping out from behind his desk to plant a fatherly kiss on her flushed cheek. 

"Okay," she said softly, resisting the urge to tug her arm away from Mark as he gently took her elbow to guide her out of the room. Vince threw his car keys at Mark before he left. "Not the bike, Calloway, got it?" 

Mark nodded and grabbed the keys, urging Amy ahead of him out of the building. He unlocked Vince's car and handed her inside like a true gentleman before moving around and sliding under the steering wheel. He didn't talk much as they drove to her motel, leaving the city behind and moving out into sprawling wilderness and sparse housing. He merely nodded at her directions until they stopped outside the seedy, rundown place. "This is where you're staying? Christ, no wonder Vince wanted you to stay with him. This is no place for a young lady like you, sweetheart," he said, walking with her to the door of her room. 

"It was cheap," she said in defence of the place. She had hated it on sight, but she didn't have enough money to worry about such luxuries as doors that locked properly or rooms that were cleaned. 

"Yeah, it sure was," Mark murmured as she opened the door and walked inside. The smell of stale beer and cigarettes assaulted her nostrils, relics from the previous tenant and she shot a look at her companion, noticing the grimace he couldn't disguise. 

"Maybe you should wait in the car?" she asked him, not feeling comfortable being in such a small space with him. 

Mark pinned her with a dark look and shook his head. "Nah, you'll be safer with me here whilst you pack your stuff. Don't worry, I'll be just fine," he said, seating himself gingerly on the edge of the bed. 

Amy made quick work of packing her things, using her body to block his view as she emptied the drawer holding her underwear into a bag. A few minutes later she dumped the last of her bags on the floor and did another quick check of the room, satisfied that she had everything. 

"All set?" Mark asked, levering himself up and picking up all her bags before she had a chance to take them. 

"Yes, I'm ready. You don't have to carry my bags..." 

"What sort of a man would I be if I let a tiny thing such as yourself try and struggle with them?" he asked reasonably, walking out of the room and leaving her to follow him. Amy stared at his back warily. She wasn't used to any man being nice to her, except maybe Vince, but she said nothing and moved out to the car, going to open the door as he stashed her bags in the trunk. A large hand covered hers before she could pull the door handle and she involuntarily gasped in shock. He moved quickly for such a big man. 

"Easy there, honey. I'm just gonna open the door for you, is all," he said softly, doing just that and helping her into the car again. 

When he was sitting next to her once again, she swallowed and cleared her throat. "I could've opened the door myself," she said quietly. 

His eyes swung briefly in her direction, glinting as he smiled. "Not while I'm with you." 

He drove for a few minutes in silence. "So tell me, you ever watch wrestling?" 

"I used to, when I was younger," she admitted. 

"But you don't now?" 

"No, I haven't watched it for years." 

"Even though Vince is your godfather? Isn't that a bit disloyal?" he probed, teasing her. 

"I just...I just never really got back into it," she mumbled. 

"I see. So did you have a favourite wrestler back then?" 

She found herself smiling as she thought of the men she had watched wrestle years ago. "Yeah, I used to love The Undertaker and also Hulk Hogan. I don't suppose they're still wrestling now though." 

Mark beamed at her. "As a matter of fact they are," he told her, concentrating on the road. 

"Really?" She thought about that for a moment. "I don't suppose they look the same anymore." 

"You don't think you'd recognise them if you saw them?" he asked her, trying to smother his grin because he knew she didn't recognise him. 

"I might, I guess. I've never really thought about it," she shrugged. 

"What did The Undertaker look like?" 

"Well, you know. He used to wear a long dark coat and sometimes a hat. He had long dark hair, sometimes it looked black and sometimes it looked sort of...dark auburn? Oh, and a beard, sort of like yours. Come to think of it, he had a couple of tattoos as well, not as many as you have though, you've got hundreds," she said and he felt a small thrill run through him that she had actually noticed things about him. 

"Anything else?" 

"He wore weird makeup on his face, sort of pale and had these shadows under his eyes and over his eyebrows, stuff like that, so I never really saw what he looked like. Oh, and he had white eyes sometimes." 

"White eyes?" Mark asked, raising his eyebrows. 

"Yeah. He used to do this gross thing where he rolled his eyes up into his head when he was taking someone down. But sometimes there were photos of him, in wrestling magazines, and his eyes were white, but looked different. He was wearing contact lenses, of course, but when I was young I thought his eyes were really like that!" she said and a small laugh escaped her, surprising both of them. 

Mark chuckled. "I think a lot of people thought that, too." 

"So do you know him then? What does he look like now?" she asked him, starting to feel quite comfortable with him all of a sudden. 

"Mmm, I know him. And Hulk Hogan of course. The Undertaker looks a bit different from the way he looked back then. Hulk doesn't though, he looks pretty much the same." 

"Really? Wow, it'll be weird seeing them wrestle again after so long," she said. "When are they fighting next?" 

"Taker's got a match tonight as a matter of fact, but Hulk isn't up until tomorrow night," Mark told her, his lips curving in a secretive smile. 

"I think I'd like to see that," she said, looking out of the window as they neared the arena again. 

"Well, I'll make sure you have front row seats," he offered, pulling smoothly into a parking space. 

"Oh, no, I don't...I wouldn't feel comfortable out there. I'll watch it on the television if I can," she said, shuddering at the thought of being stuck in amongst thousands of people. 

Mark saw her reaction and carefully smoothed his features to show no expression. "That's no problem, there's a TV in Vince's office that should do you." He saw her visibly relax and got out of the car, telling her to stay put until he got around to her side and opened the door for her. 

"You really don't have to..." she began, taking his hand as he pulled her gently out of the car. He put a large finger over her lips. "Yes I do. I, ma'am, am a gentleman, despite the fact that I may not look it!" 

Amy was so shocked at the feel of his big callused finger on her mouth that she couldn't respond, and he sent her a dazzling grin before grabbing her bags out of the trunk and leading her back into the building. 

He shocked her even more a few minutes later when, having deposited her once again in Vince's office, he took her hand and raised it to plant a soft kiss on her knuckles, making her completely speechless with the olde worlde charm. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three 

Vince grinned broadly at this display and watched with amusement the way Amy stared at the huge wrestler, her stunned eyes following him as he left the room. 

"You okay honey?" 

"I'm fine," she said quietly, her eyes still on the door. "Who is he?" 

"I told you, he's one of my finest wrestlers, Mark Calloway," Vince replied, smirking. 

"Yeah, I know, but...I don't know, he seems familiar somehow," she said, frowning slightly. 

Vince's smirk turned into a grin. "Maybe you've seen him on TV before?" 

"Yeah, maybe," Amy replied, shaking her head and shrugging. 

Vince eyed the bags on the floor. "You seem to have an awful lot of luggage for someone on a short visit." 

She blushed and bit her lip. "Well, actually...when I lost my job, I sort of lost my apartment too," she admitted, obviously reluctant. "But I'm not here to try and get anything out of you! I've already seen a job advertised at a store downtown, so I can..." she quickly added, worried that he might think she was begging for money or something. 

"Honey, I never thought you were! You're not the type," he cut in, smiling at her. "As for that job you've seen, forget it. It wouldn't be any good anyhow, not unless you want to be on your own most of the year. We'll all be travelling around the country, and that being the case I've got an offer for you," he said, watching her reaction carefully. 

"What offer? Oh, Vince, please don't offer me any money..." 

"No, no. I wondered if you'd like to work for me? Since you have no job and now I find you have no apartment, it would be perfect." 

"What sort of job? You're not just making one up are you?" 

"As if I would!" he said, trying to look offended, because that was exactly what he had done. "The wardrobe mistress needs a new assistant and, as I recall, you were pretty good with a needle. You'd have to travel everywhere with us, of course, but the pay is more than generous, plus we'd foot the bill for all hotel rooms. What do you think?" 

"It sounds good, but...I don't know. Where would I live?" 

"Well, like I said, most of the time you'd be living in hotels, but you could rent a nice place anywhere you liked, maybe even buy somewhere eventually, you'd be able to afford it. It goes without saying that whenever we rent a house you'll be staying with us. Come on, say yes. I'm not gonna let you say no anyhow, so you may as well accept your fate!" he told her, grinning at her. 

Amy thought about it for all of two seconds before smiling. "Okay, thank you. What would my job entail?" 

"Oh you know, wardrobe type stuff. Repairing outfits, making new ones, taking measurements, all of that sort of stuff. Nothing too difficult and anything you can't do straight off, Tammy will teach you. She's the wardrobe mistress, you'll like her, she's only a couple of years older than you." 

Amy frowned. "Take measurements? Of the wrestlers?" 

"Well, yeah, that would be the general idea. Don't panic, none of them bite and when they find out you're my goddaughter, none of them will bark at you either! Now then, tell me about this job you lost," he said, changing the subject abruptly and looking a little stern. 

"It wasn't my fault," she said slowly, wondering how to tell him. 

"So you said. So why'd you get fired?" 

"The Manager didn't like me," she said, thinking of the repulsive man she had been working for. 

"That's not a very good reason for firing someone. If it was I'd have lost half my wrestlers by now. Tell me the rest," Vince said, knowing she was hiding something and determined to get it out of her. "Why didn't he like you?" 

"Because I wouldn't do what he wanted," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Vince frowned. "And what, exactly, did he want?" 

"Me." 

Vince instantly sat up straight, his jaw clenching. "What did he do to you, honey?" 

"Nothing, really. He...he tried touching me and he kept getting me to work late. I couldn't afford to lose the job so I had to do the overtime, but he kept trying to put his hands on me. So I...I hit him and pushed him away and then he got angry, but I didn't give him the chance to touch me, I ran out." 

"Go on," Vince urged. 

"When I went into work the next day he called me into his office and told me that if I didn't let him do...stuff...to me he would fire me. I didn't let him, so he fired me. He made it so I didn't get a reference and he followed me around for a couple of weeks afterwards..." 

"He followed you? Has he stopped?" 

Amy shook her head. "I don't know. I kept getting letters, but then I had a choice between paying the rent for one last month or using the money for a plane ticket. The ticket won out. So I couldn't pay my rent and I lost the apartment and came here with the last money I had. I haven't seen him, so I guess he doesn't know where I am." 

"You got letters? Threatening letters?" At her nod he scowled. "Did you tell the police?" 

"What for? They're hardly going to believe me over him, he's a respectable businessman, or so people think. Only the people who work for him know how much of a psycho he can be." 

"What about the letters? Where are they?" 

"I burnt them. Well, all except one..." 

"Where is it?" 

"In my bag." 

"Let me see it," he told her, watching as she reluctantly got it and handed it over to him. 

The man who had written it wasn't very subtle, but he was serious, and Vince thought she might have a big problem if he was as tenacious as he sounded. He hadn't made any attempt to disguise his own handwriting and he had even signed it, obviously he wanted Amy to know who it came from. Tony Castrogiovanni, the name read. The contents of the letter made Vince want to get hold of the man and rip his head off. 

"Were all the other letters like this?" he asked her, appalled that she had been forced to read such filthy threats. He didn't bother mentioning that the police could have easily arrested the man, simply because he had signed the letters. 

She nodded, looking miserable. "Some were worse. They mostly said what he was going to do to me when he got hold of me. I had to replace a couple of windows when someone threw stones through them, and I guess it was him that was doing it, he did know where I lived." 

Vince looked at her downbent head and felt a rush of sympathy for her. She had had enough evil in her life, she didn't need to be subjected to any more. "Well, fine, you're safe here. And if this scumbag comes within fifty feet of you I'll have him torn apart! Tell me what he looks like so I can circulate a description, though, just to be on the safe side." 

Amy's mouth turned down with distaste. "He was big...just over six feet I guess and he did body building, but he was overweight too, so he didn't look all that muscular, just large. He was strong though. He had dark hair, thinning on top, quite darkly tanned skin." 

"What about his eyes? His face?" 

"His eyes were brown, and he didn't really have any distinguishing features at all. I guess his nose was pretty big, but otherwise he could just be any man on the street. I'm sorry, it's not much help is it?" 

"Of course it is. How about the way he dresses? Anything unusual there?" 

Amy nodded. "Yes! He dresses in really flashy suits. I don't mean expensive suits, but garish ones. You know? Bright colours that probably looked okay back in the eighties, but now...ugh!" 

Vince chuckled. "Now that really does help. But did he only wear the suits to work? Did you ever see him outside of work?" 

"Yes, I did. I saw him in a T-shirt and jeans and the T-shirt was really garish, again. He really liked bright colours, he had no taste whatsoever and he used to mix the colours." She looked at Vince and shrugged. "That's it really. He didn't have a particular accent as far as I could tell, but you know I can't tell where people are from in this country yet. Well, unless they're from the South or something." 

"Yeah, I remember how useless you are at placing accents!" Vince said as he scribbled notes on the memo and put it through the fax machine. "This is all really helpful. I've sent it to security here and at our next stop, so you can relax. If he shows up they'll tear him a new asshole." 

"Vince!" Amy said. 

"Ah, don't Vince me! I bet your language gets a bit colourful sometimes!" 

"It does not!" 

"Well, now you're here with us, you'll soon learn!" He grinned at her and was pleased when a genuine smile broke through the mask she had been wearing. His own smile turned into a frown. "I'm sorry this happened to you, honey." 

Amy shook her head and looked at the anger on his face. "It's okay, I got through it. I knew I'd be okay once I was with you." She looked up suddenly and put her hand over her mouth. "I don't mean that I expected anything...I don't want you to think I'm freeloading..." 

"I don't think that, don't be ridiculous! And anyway, I wouldn't care if you were." Vince said, smiling and putting her at ease. 

She wiped a hand over her eyes and gave a tired smile. "Thank you for the job." 

"Honey, you are most welcome. Now, come on, let me give you the grand tour!" he said, giving another lightning change of subject and pulling her out of his office with him. The next few hours were spent looking around the arena and meeting people, mostly wrestlers who she found it hard to speak to, and of course the wardrobe mistress Tammy. She was a tall, blonde woman with a ready smile and laughing blue eyes. She made Amy feel warm and welcome, giving her some hope for her new job. 

Before she knew it, she was sitting down with a tray of food in Vince's office, watching the start of the nights wrestling. 

Watching the lighter weight wrestlers come out made her remember how she had loved watching this particular sport as a 12 year old, and she fell into it happily. After an hour she hadn't seen The Undertaker yet, but she had seen an interview with Hulk Hogan, although now they seemed to call him 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan, and she couldn't remember them calling him that when she had last seen him on TV. She giggled at his new look beard, but otherwise he looked the same as he had years ago, maybe a bit older. 

The door opened and Mark walked in, catching his breath when he saw her laughing at the interview. He had thought her pretty before, but with a truly relaxed smile on her face she was stunning. Yet she seemed totally unaware of her looks, not bothering with makeup and not doing her hair up professionally, just pulling it back into a ratty ponytail. She looked up when she heard him, still smiling, and he found himself grinning back at her. 

"You enjoying the wrestling, sweetheart?" 

She nodded. "Very much, I forgot how much fun it could be. I thought you said The Undertaker was going to be on tonight?" 

"And so he is, in about...oh..." he said, looking at the clock, "...fifteen minutes. I thought you might like to come and watch from the wings, so to speak. They have a huge monitor down there and it's pretty quiet. But you get to experience the crowd from afar, makes it that much better. How about it?" 

Amy bit her lip and thought about it. What harm could it do? She wouldn't be in the middle of the crowd and he made it sound like she'd be mostly on her own. Plus she'd be able to experience some of the arena atmosphere. She nodded and stood up. "I'd like that," she said shyly, walking to the door with him. 

They made an odd couple as they walked slowly down the hallways, him a hulking giant of a man, rough looking and covered in tattoos. And her, tiny compared to him and looking clean cut and innocent. But there was something about the two of them that looked right, and some people looked twice as they walked past. 

Mark sat her down in a small chair by the monitor. "Okay. You'll be alright here, but I gotta go. I'll be back in a while. Enjoy the wrestling okay?" 

Amy nodded and watched him leave with regret. She was starting to like him, because he treated her so nicely and because he was really the only one she had spoken to since she got here. She turned her attention to the big screen in front of her and watched as two enormous wrestlers stood in the ring and started shouting insults into a microphone. Apparently they had a problem with Vince and they were going to pay him back for something. The largest man who, to Amy's eyes, looked about 10 feet tall, stepped over the top rope and lumbered up the ramp, the crowd booing as he walked past them. She didn't think anything more of it. For about ten seconds. 

"There you are!" a deep voice boomed in her ear and she felt herself plucked out of the chair and hoisted easily over a huge shoulder. "You were supposed to wait by the stage entrance! I nearly didn't find you!" 

Amy was too shocked to say anything at first, her throat closing up with terror as she was carried out in front of the whole crowd and thrown from the massive shoulder over the ropes, to be caught by another man. He had short dark hair and sunglasses on top of his head. She vaguely thought he looked Hawaiian, but she was so shocked that she couldn't speak or move as he put her on her feet in front of him and then spun her around, holding her shoulders and keeping her in front of him. 

"McMahon, The Rock now has something you want, so what ya gonna do about it? Ya gonna show that damn ugly white face of yours and rescue her, or act like the candy ass coward we all know that you are?" he yelled into the microphone that the other enormous man held for him. 

"Yeah come on Vince, come and save her," the giant said, leering at her. "On second thoughts, don't. We got lots we can do to her!" he said, reaching out and grabbing her around the throat with one massive hand. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four 

Vince McMahon had been talking to one of the crew when he looked at the monitor. He nearly exploded with panic when he saw Amy being held by The Big Show and The Rock, looking absolutely terrified. 

"What the hell is going on?" he yelled to anyone within earshot. Mark walked up behind him then, and looked at him strangely. 

"What's the matter with you?" 

"They got Amy! The dumb idiots, they were supposed to take Bethany!" he said, nodding at a girl who was standing looking impatient. 

Mark felt his heart thunder in his chest when he looked at the monitor. Rock and Big Show wouldn't hurt her, he knew, not intentionally. But Bethany knew what moves were going to be made on her and Amy didn't, plus she looked like she was on the verge of passing out. 

"How the hell am I gonna get her out of there without ruining the show?" Vince asked, heading to the stage entrance anyway. 

"Wait, I can do it. Cue up my music," he said, marching out as his music instantly filled the arena. 

He rushed out to the cheers of the crowd, pulling his face into its habitual frown and snarling at the two wrestlers holding Amy. He practically threw himself under the ropes and stood up in front of the two men, grabbing a microphone for himself. 

"You've got the wrong girl," he stated loudly, glaring at them and pulling the Big Shows arm down with some force, his eyes softening slightly when he looked at Amy. She was visibly shaking and her face was as white as chalk. He dropped the microphone out of range and leaned down to her. "Just go along with this honey, and I'll get you out of here, okay?" He watched her nod her head slightly, her eyes huge and frightened. Rock heard what he said and looked down at the girl he held, his brow creasing in quick realisation. He knew it was best to play along with this. "What are you talking about, the wrong girl? This is McMahon's latest piece of ass, and we're taking her for ourselves, unless someone's gonna try and stop us?" 

"She isn't McMahon's, she's mine, and I will stop you, boy," he threatened in his most deadly tones, getting an ear splitting roar from the audience. 

Rock widened his eyes in mock horror and abruptly pushed Amy gently towards Mark. "Have her, she ain't worth it anyhow, Dead man!" Rock yelled. "It's McMahon we want to fight, not you!" 

"You'll be fighting me if you touch what's mine again, do you understand?" 

Rock sneered at him and nodded. Suddenly Vince strode out with Bethany, smiling evilly up at the Rock. 

Amy was in a stupor by now, not really hearing what was going on around her, just concentrating on breathing. She felt strong arms lift her up again and started to panic, struggling against the seemingly immovable body holding her. "Shh, honey, it's just me, okay?" Mark asked her, still frowning as he was in character, which simply set her off more. 

He watched helplessly as her eyes rolled up in their sockets and she flopped limply against his chest. It made it easier to carry her, and the audience were lapping it up, thinking it was all part of the act, but he truly wanted to break someone's neck for this. He took her as quickly as he could to the backstage area and into his dressing room, the nearest place he knew of that he could lay her down. When he had deposited her on the couch, he knelt down next to her and pushed her hair out of her face, stroking her cheek softly and waiting for her to come round. 

Her eyes fluttered open a few seconds later and then widened as she tried to push herself away from him. 

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you, alright?" he said, holding his hands up in front of him. 

Amy took a deep shuddering breath and nodded, before putting her hands over her face and bursting into tears. Mark felt totally helpless. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice muffled behind her hands and barely audible. 

"Honey, you haven't got anything to be sorry for!" he said, pulling her into his arms and cuddling her. She didn't object to the comfort and he rocked her, amazed at how right it felt to be holding her like this. "They made a mistake, that's all. They would never have hurt you, but they thought you were someone else." 

Amy sniffed and nodded, calming down a little. "I guess it scared me," she mumbled. 

Mark chuckled at that understatement. "I guess it did." 

"You must think I'm an awful coward," she whispered against his neck. 

"I don't think anything of the sort. Those two are enough to scare the sh...er...the life out of fully grown men, let alone a little bit like you!" he said, his voice rumbling pleasantly against her face. 

A knock at the door made him glance up and Glenn stepped into room, looking at the scene in front of him with raised eyebrows and not a small amount of shock. "I hate to interrupt, old buddy, but we gotta be out front in 3 minutes!" 

Mark swore softly. He nodded to Glenn and watched as he left the room, waiting until he was gone before moving Amy gently away from him. "I have to go, sweetheart. I have a match." 

Something that one of the other wrestlers had said in the ring suddenly filtered into Amy's mind. "They...they called you dead man." 

"Yeah they did." 

"But that's...didn't they...who _are_ you?" 

"Honey, I'm The Undertaker. Looks like you nearly worked it out for yourself! Listen, stay here all you like or go back to Vince's office. I'll be back soon and I'd like to make sure you're okay." He sat her back on the couch and ran a finger down her face, wiping away the remnants of her tears. "You gonna wait for me?" 

Amy nodded, wondering at the odd emotions she felt when he touched her. He didn't scare her as much as he had, and he certainly didn't scare her as much as she thought he should have. He stood up and then bent to place a small kiss on her lips, almost as an afterthought. He was gone before she could react in any way and she sat there, touching her suddenly tingling mouth with her fingertips. 

Vince walked in seconds later, looking a little worse for wear and saw her touching her mouth. "Dammit! What did they do? Did they hurt your mouth?" he said, reaching down and pulling her hand away from her lips. When he saw there was nothing wrong, he looked puzzled, then suspicious. "What's up with your lips?" 

Amy shook her head. "Nothing." 

"Mmm-hmm. You okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine. It just scared me, that's all," she said, giving a shaky smile. "Can we go and watch TV in your office? I want to see The Undertaker...I mean...Mark...fight." 

"Oh, so you know who he is now huh? Sure, come on," he took her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm, walking her back to his office and setting her up in front of the TV once again. 

Amy watched with fascination as Mark actually drove a huge motorcycle down the ramp and into the arena, guiding it expertly around the ring once before parking it and stepping off. With him was another huge man dressed in red and black and wearing a face mask, so she couldn't see what he looked like. She soon learned that his name was Kane and that he was supposed to be The Undertakers brother, the two of them about to have a grudge match with another two wrestlers. She winced as the fighting started. She knew it was all set up, and that the moves were pretty well choreographed, but it could look so real. And these bigger wrestlers managed to make it look that much more violent too. She soon found herself so caught up in it that she put her hand over her mouth every time Mark looked as if he was getting hurt. Before too long, both he and Kane grabbed their opponents by the necks simultaneously, and lifted them off their feet. She had a few seconds to marvel at their strength before they brought their hapless victims crashing down into the ring and apparent unconsciousness. 

Kane and The Undertaker left the ring triumphant, much to the approval of the crowd and Amy smiled happily. Her smile quickly turned to a frown. Why hadn't he told her who he was? He had just let her ramble on about The Undertaker being her favourite wrestler and hadn't said a word. She felt embarrassed. She also felt an unreasonable urge to go and confront him, but she snorted at this. Yeah, right, a woman as nervous as she was, confronting a great hulking beast like him? Not likely! Even as she thought it, she shook her head. He wasn't a beast though, was he? He was very nice, surprisingly. 

She realised that Vince was still sitting next to her, watching her expression with faint amusement. "Enjoy the wrestling?" 

"Yeah, it's..." she searched for right word, "...very amusing." 

"Not so amusing when you're in the middle of it though, huh? I'm sorry that happened. They were supposed to take Bethany out there and do their little act, but apparently she wasn't where she was meant to be and they found you instead." 

"It's okay, they didn't really hurt me, I just panicked." She reached a hand up and touched her neck, still feeling slightly sore from where that enormous man had been holding it. 

Vince's eyes dropped to her hand and he frowned. "Let me see," he said, reaching forward to pull her hand away. 

Just as he did, Mark walked into the room, having just broken all speed records showering and getting changed. He saw what Vince was looking at and joined him, crouching by her chair and lifting her chin up with his large hand. "Dammit," he muttered, seeing the bruises forming on the slender column of her neck. He felt himself vibrate with rage at the marks on her skin and stood up abruptly, gritting his teeth. "I'm gonna go have a little word with Dwayne and Paul," he said, moving to leave the room. He was shocked when Amy reached out a small hand and grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving as effectively as if she had placed a wall in his way. He looked down into her imploring green eyes and found himself trapped in that gaze, unable to look away. 

"Please don't," she said softly, looking worried. "They didn't mean to do what they did, you said that yourself." 

"Yeah, but I didn't know they'd actually hurt you, did I?" 

"I'm okay, it doesn't hurt, really," she said, tugging on his huge treelike arm. 

"It must hurt, it's bruised," he pointed out, sitting in a chair next to her at her gentle insistence, still frowning. "I shouldn't have left you there on your own," he persisted. 

"It's not your fault either. Let's just forget about it, okay?" 

"Forget about it? Right," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Like you didn't just faint from shock when I picked you up? You scared the crap out of me!" 

Amy raised her eyebrows and couldn't stop a small smile forming on her full lips. "I scared you? I thought nothing scared the big, bad, dead man?" she said, lowering her voice dramatically. 

Mark was surprised when a laugh burst out of his throat. "Yeah, well. A little lady like you can sure put the heebie-jeebies into a fella," he drawled, looking down at her hand still curved over his huge arm. 

"I can?" she asked, her eyes wide at his sensuous tone, her heart beating that much faster at his incredibly sexy accent. He had been dropping endearments on her since he had met her, but for some reason she found it nice. Other men that had done the same had made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. She blinked at the heated look he was giving her and cleared her throat in discomfort. She must be imagining it, she thought. A man like him would never look twice at someone as plain as her. Mind you, she mused, her eyes dropping to his very sexy mouth, he had kissed her. Even though it had only been a tiny kiss, to her it meant a lot. 

Mark saw her eyes drop and cursed the fact that Vince was still in the office, keeping himself busy behind his desk and pointedly ignoring the two of them while surreptitiously watching over his goddaughter. He knew that if the older man were absent he would have pulled her against him and kissed her senseless, an urge he found hard to suppress even with their current audience. 

"Do you...er," he cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "Are you seeing anyone?" 

"No," she answered, honestly wondering why he had asked. 

"Good, I mean, well, do you have plans for dinner?" he found himself asking before he even thought about it, and he felt odd, almost embarrassed like he had when he was about seventeen and had asked a girl out on a date, a girl he had been lusting after for months. For some reason he felt unsure of himself right now, waiting for her to answer him. 

"Yes, she does," Vince said from the background, proving that he had been listening to them all along. "She's eating with Linda and myself tonight and tomorrow night. Of course, you're welcome to join us tomorrow if you'd like, if Amy doesn't mind?" 

Mark glanced briefly at Vince and then pinned Amy with those burning eyes once again. "How about it, sweetheart? Would you mind if I joined you?" he asked, thinking of another kind of joining he'd much rather be doing with her. 

Amy shook her head. "I'd like that," she said, smiling shyly. 

He smiled back and then narrowed his eyes. "Sure you ain't gonna be scared, darlin'?" he drawled deeply, in his best Undertaker voice. 

She contemplated his words seriously for a second. "No. No, you wouldn't hurt me," she said, gauging his kindness and the gentle way he had handled her. 

"Damn straight I wouldn't." He brushed his fingers gently down her cheek and then stood, making arrangements with Vince on where to meet the following evening and what time, before winking at her and leaving the room. 

Amy let out a deep breath when he left, feeling her heart beating overtime in her chest. She heard Vince chuckle and turned to see why he was so amused. "I don't think I've ever seen Mark act so gentlemanly in all the years I've known him. You seem to have a strange effect on him, Peaches!" 

Amy blushed. "He's very nice," she said softly. 

"Apparently so. You sure seem to like him, anyway," Vince pointed out, chuckling again and shaking his head. "Well, I'm finished here. Let's go find Linda and get ready to go out, shall we?" He took her arm and guided her out of the room, a silly grin still spread across his face. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five 

After another day of learning who the various people at the Arena were, and seeing Mark every now and again in passing, Amy found herself sitting opposite Vince and Linda, fiddling nervously with her soft drink and sending glances over her shoulder towards the restaurant doors every five seconds. 

"Don't worry sweetie, he'll be here," Linda said, stilling her restless fingers by placing her hand over Amy's. 

"Who...who'll be here?" Amy asked, trying to sound confused and failing miserably. 

Linda smiled widely and nodded over the younger girls' shoulder. "Him," she said quietly, settling back in her chair and watching Mark's eyes light up as he spotted them. 

"Vince, Linda," he nodded politely, before pulling out the chair next to Amy and sitting down. "Amy. How are you feeling?" 

Amy raised her eyes to his and forgot to speak. He was dressed in a suit, very smart, the jacket straining over his huge shoulders as he leaned toward her. His hair was neatly combed back and he had no bandanna covering his forehead this time. His green eyes stood out all the more for not being shadowed and she found herself trapped by the intensity of his gaze. 

Mark was also having trouble with his speech. Whereas before she had been wearing fairly snug fitting jeans, but completely obscured her body with a huge sweater, now she was wearing a dress. It wasn't a provocative dress by any standards, it being high necked and long sleeved and full skirted, not showing any flesh. But where she had obviously picked it because of it's slight looseness, she had underestimated how much the material would cling to the nicely rounded parts of her. He found it difficult not to drop his eyes and stare at the firm thrust of her breasts under the bodice of the dress, but he didn't want to spook her, so he continued looking into her eyes. When he noticed how blankly she was staring at him, his lips curved into a smile. 

"Something wrong, darlin'?" 

"You look...very...smart," she faltered, her face flushing because she had been caught staring. 

He raised an eyebrow and his smile broadened. "Why, thank you, ma'am. You sound surprised. I couldn't very well waltz into this nice place wearing a pair of jeans, now could I?" 

Amy's eyes darted around at the other diners. "I guess not." 

"And you look very pretty tonight," he said quietly, his voice lowering so that Vince and Linda didn't overhear them, even though the older couple were engrossed with talking to each other. 

Amy glanced down at her dress and sighed. It was very nice of him to try and compliment her, but she knew she faded into the background wherever she went, so she didn't acknowledge his words. 

Mark frowned and tilted her chin up with one finger. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing," she said, feeling his fingertip burning just under her chin and becoming slightly breathless at his proximity, her world narrowing to include just the two of them. 

"Really? Well, then, let's just try that again shall we? You look very pretty tonight," he said, his eyes crinkling at the stain of red on her cheeks. 

"I don't...you don't have to..." 

"Don't you know how pretty you are, sweetheart?" he asked her softly, letting his eyes wander over her soft, clear complexion with its' few tantalising freckles and her dark lashed eyes. She still wore no make up, but then, she didn't need it. Her hair was pinned up at the sides and the rest of it flowed in shiny waves down her back. 

"I'm not pretty," she mumbled. 

"Hell, yes you are, and if we didn't have company I'd prove to you exactly how pretty I think you are!" He actually went to bend his head toward her when he became aware of where they were and that Vince was staring at him with narrowed eyes. He cleared his throat and took his hand away from her chin, picking up a menu and scanning it without saying another word. 

Vince grinned at his wife, who looked no less amused than he did. His goddaughter was sitting looking stunned and Mark looked as though someone had just hit him over the head with a sledgehammer. Things could get really interesting, he thought, the wheels turning in his head as he thought of several different ways to throw the two of them together as often as possible, under some sort of covert supervision of course. 

They all ordered their meals and the evening progressed very pleasantly, Amy eventually coming out of her shell and chatting animatedly with them about the wrestling she had seen that afternoon. She even went so far as to jab Mark in the ribs for daring to lead her on about who he was, and he was faintly shocked at her actions, before going into his play-acting mode and groaning. He reached a hand around and held it over his ribs where she had elbowed him, doubling up over the table with an expression of agony. 

Amy giggled at his display and he sat up suddenly and arched his eyebrows at her. "You find something funny in attacking me?" 

"Yes," she nodded, still smiling. "Like you even felt it you big fake!" 

He put an expression of hurt on his face. "You think I'm a fake? How could you think that? You saw me wrestle last night and today, you could see how real it was, how hard I worked to make it a good show, how..." 

"Is everything alright here?" the waiter asked as he hovered next to the table. 

Mark looked up at him and then pointed to Amy. "She thinks I'm a fake. Would you say I was a fake, boy?" 

The waiter remained impassive looking and shook his head, knowing full well who Mark really was. "No, Sir, I would never say you were a fake." 

Mark turned triumphant green eyes to Amy. "See? _He_ doesn't think I'm a fake!" 

"Yes, but he's probably just worried that you're going to snap him in two if he insults you, so it doesn't count!" 

"Oh, but _you_ don't mind insulting me?" 

Amy shook her head. "Not at all." 

"Well, that's just great. I get all dolled up so I can come out for a nice meal without embarrassing you, and there you go insulting me! I could get real hurt by that, you know! I think you should apologise," he said, folding his huge arms over his equally massive chest and staring at her expectantly, looking faintly intimidating. 

Amy was saved from answering by the waiter, who was still standing there, waiting for them to order dessert. Once he had what he wanted, he departed and Amy glanced sideways at Mark to see what he was doing. He was still sitting there with his arms folded, staring at her. 

"What?" she asked him, feigning innocence. 

"I'm still waiting," he said smoothly, smirking at her. 

"For what?" 

He arched one eyebrow. "Now there's a leading question," he murmured, grinning sexily at her. "For my apology of course!" 

She smiled at his continued playfulness and shook her head, feeling her heart thudding in her chest at his proximity. "I have nothing to apologise for!" 

"Yeah you do. Apologise." 

"Uh-uh." 

"Apologise," he said, leaning closer to her, pleased to note that she didn't back off, even though her expression told him that she had to fight not to. 

Amy stiffened her spine and gave him what she hoped was a haughty look, arching her eyebrows and staring at him with disdain. "And if I don't?" 

"Hmm, let me think, what would be a suitable punishment? I know," he said as the waiter returned with their desserts, "If you don't apologise, then I claim a bite of your dessert." 

Amy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "A bite of my dessert? That doesn't sound too bad. Besides, I'm not apologising, you fake." She grinned as she said this and reached for her dessert, a large slice of rich chocolate gateau, covered in piped cream and whipped up into a delightful confection. Marks hand stopped her and she glared at him. "Never get between a woman and her dessert!" she told him. He chuckled at this, but steadfastly refused to let her plunge into the food. "Ah, no, sweetheart. You didn't apologise, therefore I get my bite of your dessert before you get to taste any, it's only fair!" 

"Okay, but you use your own fork, I don't know what I might catch from you!" she shot back, surprising herself with her capacity to tease this enormous man, without feeling any fear. It made a welcome change and she felt completely relaxed. 

He gave her a mock glare and then pulled her plate in front of him, turning it this way and that as if trying to decide the best place to attack it. Finally he picked up his own fork and plunged it halfway through the cake, pulling it neatly apart and popping it into his mouth before she could utter the protest that was forming on her lips. He watched her, his eyes crinkling up with amusement, as she stared at him with her mouth hanging open. 

"You ate half my cake!" she said, aghast at the huge amount he had just put into his mouth with apparent ease. "That's not fair!" 

He swallowed the rich dessert and wiped his mouth with a napkin before he spoke. "You should have apologised." 

"Oh, you...! I'm glad I didn't! You are a fake, and a greedy one, at that!" she said in mock indignation, reaching for her plate. 

"Oh, dear. You seem to have insulted me again!" he said, pulling her plate out of her reach and finishing the dessert with one more mouthful. 

Vince and Linda were laughing themselves silly at this display, each enjoying their own dessert. Amy looked at them and then glared at Mark. "Now what do I get to eat?" 

"I could suggest a couple of things," he said slowly, watching as she blushed when she caught his meaning. "However, I guess I could let you have one little bitty spoonful of this delicious chocolate mousse." 

He handed her the tall glass full of chocolate mousse and she took it from him slowly, expecting him to snatch it back at any second. When he didn't she picked her spoon up and dipped it into the fluffy dessert, her tongue coming out to lick her bottom lip as she concentrated on loading her spoon up. She lifted it up in triumph when she managed to scoop an enormous amount onto it, grinning at Mark. 

He smiled smugly, sitting back with his arms folded. "Well done. Now try and fit it into your mouth." 

She frowned at the amount on the spoon, knowing she was beaten really, but not wanting to admit it and end all this fun. 

"Can't do it, can you?" he drawled, still looking smug and she narrowed her eyes at him, determined that she would at least try. 

He watched with amusement as she opened her mouth and gamely tried to get the enormous pile of mousse inside without spilling any. She almost managed it, too, but whereas he would have been able to do it with ease, she couldn't hope to match him. She closed her mouth and felt some of the chocolate ooze out of the corners, grabbing her napkin before it could spill. Strangely she didn't feel in the least embarrassed at making a mess. 

"Ha, I knew it! You're a lightweight when it comes to eating, darlin'," Mark said, watching her trying to eat the mass in her mouth and blotting away the remnants from her lips. He reached out and took the napkin from her, holding her chin whilst he wiped away the bits she couldn't see. What he really wanted to do was lick them away, he decided, but he knew exactly what that could lead to. His body had lurched painfully when her tongue had darted out to lick her lip before, and now it hardened even more when she did it again. He shifted in his chair slightly, trying to ease the uncomfortable press of his aroused flesh and then watched that small, pink tongue shoot out and lick at the corner of her mouth again. 

Amy looked at his expression and frowned. "Are you okay?" she asked him, thinking that he looked incredibly tense. 

He took his hand away from her chin and gave a smile. "I'm just fine, honey." 

Vince motioned for the waiter and asked for their bill. After he had paid it he stood up and took Linda's arm, smiling down at the other two. "Well, we have to be going, we have some business to finish up. Amy, you can either come back with us now or stay here a while longer. I'm sure Mark will see you back safely." 

"I'll bring her back safe and sound," Mark said before she could reply. He didn't want the evening to end just yet. "Besides, there's a band tuning up, so we could stay and have a dance, if you'd like?" 

Amy stared into his sexy green eyes and tried to decide what the best thing was to do. But the decision was really made already. She wanted to stay here with him, no matter how nervous that made her feel. "I'd like that." 

"Great," Vince said, patting her on the shoulder and then swiping Mark around the head. "You take care of her, okay?" he said to him, giving him a serious look, laced with lots of hidden meaning. 

Mark nodded and smiled. "I'll have her back before she turns into a pumpkin, don't panic!" 

Vince grinned at his words and sauntered out of the restaurant, Linda laughing and holding his arm. Amy smiled at Mark. "I thought it was the carriage that turned into the pumpkin?" 

"Yeah, well, the way you ate that dessert, you never can tell!" he teased. 

Amy aimed a soft blow at his shoulder. "Are you saying I'm fat?" 

He caught her small fist easily and closed his fingers over it, completely obscuring it from view. His eyes roamed over her petite form and lingered for a second on the swell of her breasts and hips. "No, honey, I could never accuse you of being fat. You have a beautiful figure." He raised his eyes to hers in time to see her eyes widen and her cheeks flush at his intimate tone. When the first strains of music floated to his ears he pulled her up out of her chair and led her towards the small dance floor that graced one end of the restaurant. Only the frantic tugging of her hand made him falter, and he turned to stare down at her, amused to find that even in high heels, she didn't reach his shoulder. "What's wrong? Don't you want to dance with me?" 

"I...er..." she swallowed, embarrassed all over again. "I can't dance!" her voice was no more than a whisper. 

"That's not a problem, sweetheart. The music's slow, and all you have to do is sway with me. Come on, don't be a chicken," he urged, steadily taking backward steps until they were right near the band. He took her hands and raised them up so they rested on his broad shoulders, amusement brightening his eyes once again when he realised she wasn't tall enough to close them around the back of his neck. His own hands settled on her waist and he slowly moved her from side to side until she picked up the rhythm and began to move on her own, their bodies close enough that her breasts brushed against him with every movement. After a few seconds he let his arms slide around her back and stooped a little, just enough that her hands could wrap more firmly around his neck and she was pulled into an arch against him. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six 

Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that she should probably protest how close he was holding her, but she couldn't deny that it felt nice. She felt safe and protected for once in her life, something that no-one except for Vince had ever made her feel. Her eyes closed and she rested her face against his chest, enjoying the warmth coming from him and the spicy smell of his cologne. She realised that this was the first time a nice man had ever asked her to dance, and for it to be someone who looked like Mark did took her breath away. 

Mark had closed his eyes too, breathing in her soft floral scent and relishing the feel of her curves pressing against him. His body was uncomfortably hard now, but he steadfastly ignored it. What he couldn't ignore much longer, however, was the pain in his shoulder where he was bending down. He had been slammed into the ring today and had fallen awkwardly, not enough to do any permanent damage, but enough for it to ache in certain positions. Apparently this was one of them. But what to do about it? He didn't want to stop dancing with her, that was for sure. There was only one thing for it. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and lifted her off the floor, feeling the ache in his shoulder ease as he straightened up. Her small weight made no difference whatsoever, he thought, marvelling at the fact that she felt so light. 

Amy gasped and opened her eyes as she felt herself lifted up, staring into Mark's eyes as he grinned at her. "Sorry, honey, but my shoulder aches a bit. It feels better like this." 

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know...maybe we should stop? Surely holding my weight is making it worse?" 

"Nah, sweetheart, you're as light as a feather. Besides, I'm enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked, his eyes dropping suddenly to her mouth where it was only a couple of inches away from his own. 

"Yes," she answered shyly, her arms wrapped firmly around him. She saw the way his eyes dropped and she licked her lips nervously, not realising the reaction she would get from him. 

"It's no good, I can't help it..." he murmured as he leaned in and claimed her lips with his, twisting his head sideways and levering her mouth open a fraction. It took about three seconds for him to realise that she didn't know how to kiss, but it wasn't a problem for him. He slowed his pace and played gently with her lips until she followed his movements, gradually allowing his tongue to slowly penetrate past her teeth. Sweet, he thought. She tasted sweet, and it wasn't the chocolate she had only recently consumed. She tasted almost exotic. Trying to be mindful that they were in the middle of a half empty dance floor in a crowded restaurant, he attempted to pull back, but she leaned closer so that he couldn't break lip contact. 

She might not have known what she was doing, he mused, but she sure seemed to like it. He obliged by deepening the kiss once again, thrusting his tongue rhythmically into her mouth until he had to either stop or throw her down on the floor and have his way with her, crowd or no crowd. 

Amy was stunned when his lips touched hers and he started kissing her. The feel of his firm, warm mouth over hers made her melt and she responded eagerly to him, enjoying the first real kiss she had ever received. His tongue was pushing into her mouth and, although it felt odd, it was also wonderful, and she opened her mouth a bit wider so that the sensations continued. She could feel his hot breath puffing out on her cheek where his nose was resting and it added another dimension to the feelings that were sparking along her nerve endings. 

He pulled back swiftly when it got to be too much and stared intently into her face, noting with satisfaction that her eyes were still closed and her breath was coming in little gasps. When her lids lifted he caught his breath at how luminous her eyes seemed, the green shining up at him and her expression conveying her amazement. 

"Why did you do that?" she asked in a daze. 

"Because I couldn't stop myself. You're incredibly sexy," he said, seeing her doubtful expression. "And don't say that you're not, because I have enough evidence pressing into your thighs right now to prove differently!" he said, moving his hips from side to side until her face went a fiery red. 

Despite her obvious embarrassment, a light of wonder entered her eyes. "You think I'm sexy?" she said, her voice soft. 

"Hell, yeah, I think you're amazingly sexy. Which is why I think we should get our coats and get you back to Vince and Linda, before I do something just barely legal right in front of all these nice people!" 

He let her drop slowly to her feet, making sure to let her feel every inch of him on the way down, then took her hand and led her back to their table. 

Amy couldn't keep her eyes off him as he led her outside and ushered her into a luxury rental car. He thought she was sexy! She stared at him the whole time he was driving and he kept shifting in his seat, feeling her eyes on him and wanting nothing more than to park the car and have her on the back seat. This was ridiculous, he thought. He was coming up to forty years old, he was old enough to be her father, and here he was with his body acting like a teenage boys! 

When he pulled up at the large house Vince had rented, he turned slowly toward Amy and reached out a hand, caressing her face. "I enjoyed myself tonight," he said, watching the small smile that curved her slightly swollen lips. The thought of what had made them swollen caused him to swallow. "Would you like to do this again?" 

"You mean...go out?" she asked, amazed that he wanted to take her out again. 

"Yeah, go out, as in a date. You know, have a meal, see a movie, walk along the beach...don't they do that kind of thing in England?" he asked, smiling as he teased her. 

"Not with me," she said, the truthful answer coming out before she could analyse how self pitying it might sound. 

Mark frowned. "Sweetheart, haven't you ever been on a date before?" 

Amy shook her head. "No." 

"Hmm," he mused, cocking his head to one side and studying her. "I guess that would explain why you're still a virgin?" 

Amy felt her cheeks heat at his statement. He hadn't even asked her if she was a virgin, just knew it to be so. "Well...I...how do you know I'm..." 

"Honey, a woman who doesn't know how to kiss sure as hell doesn't know how to do anything more intimate." 

"I didn't think...I can't kiss?" she said, her voice barely more than a whisper as disappointment surged through her. Great. One more thing for her to be lacking in. 

"You _couldn't_ kiss," Mark clarified, grinning suddenly. "You can now." 

"Oh, and I suppose you think that's all down to you?" Amy asked, feeling a faint spark of anger at his arrogant attitude. He had the curious knack of being able to make her temper show, even when he wasn't apparently trying. Most people she had met over the last few years didn't even know she had a temper, she had found it safer not to ever let it show. 

"Sure is. See what a great teacher I am? One kiss from me and you're already an expert!" 

She realised that he was only teasing and felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Well, I'm very grateful. Now I can try my new found talents on other men and see what happens." 

"You think so? I reckon you got that a little wrong somewhere along the line!" he said, unsnapping her seat belt and pulling her across the front seat until she was on his lap. 

"Mark!" she gasped, surprised at the speed with which she had been moved. 

"Hmm, I could get used to that sound," he murmured, nibbling softly at her neck. 

"Wh...what sound?" 

"The sound of you gasping out my name, all out of breath like that. I'll have to see what I can do to make you lose your breath, won't I?" he asked, covering her mouth with his own in a deep kiss that did leave her totally breathless. When he pulled back, his narrowed green eyes speared into hers. "Say my name again." 

She obliged and he took a deep breath at the husky sound of her voice, his body reacting instinctively to the warm press of hers. This was getting out of hand, he decided, gently placing her back in her own seat. 

"Stay there," he ordered her, frowning comically at her when she went to open the door. He got swiftly out of the car and moved around to her side, opening her door and helping her out onto the driveway. 

Amy felt the butterflies start up in her stomach again at the possessive way he held her hand as he walked her to the door, holding her in front of him as they stood under the soft glow of the porch light. "Will you be at the Arena tomorrow?" 

"I'm not sure...I haven't really made any plans..." 

"You have now. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch time in Vince's office, okay? No arguments!" he warned, dropping a light kiss on her lips and ringing the doorbell. 

He smiled at Vince as he opened the door and then planted a soft kiss on her knuckles before walking away and getting back in his car. 

Amy watched him drive away, feeling dazed by the events of the day. 

"Everything okay?" Vince asked her as he led her into the house, his gaze falling to her chin and a slow smile spreading across his face. 

"Fine," she murmured, her thoughts still with Mark. 

"So you had a good time then?" 

Amy looked up at him, noting his strange expression. "Yes, it was...fun." 

"Mmm-hmm. You seem to have a bit of a rash on your chin," he said, standing her in front of the hall mirror so she could see. "Now, what could have caused that?" 

Amy blushed when she saw what he meant. Mark's beard had rubbed her soft skin and a small red rash had appeared and, obviously, Vince knew what it was. Linda emerged from a room to their left and came over to see what they were looking at. 

"Oh my," she said softly, smiling at Amy and giving a wink. "Leave her alone Vince, the poor girl looks all worn out. Come on, I'm going up now anyway, so I'll save you from this big old ogre!" 

She led Amy up the sweeping staircase and into the large room at the end of the hallway, all decorated in creams and peaches with its own bathroom. When Linda had shown it to her the first night, she had almost been speechless. 

"Wow," was all Amy had been able to say, never having seen such luxury in her life. 

"I know, it's pretty amazing, huh?" Linda had said, glancing around the room. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Your bags are over there. Have a nice sleep." 

Now Amy closed the door behind her on only her second night in this house, this time her thoughts being full of Mark and she knew that she would have sweet dreams. 

Mark woke up early the next morning, sitting up in bed and immediately thinking about Amy. Strange, he thought, how he could feel so strongly attracted to a woman he had only just met. But he decided not to question it. He had already had some hard blows come to him because of women, not least his ex wife. By rights, he should be wary of ever talking to another female again, let alone touching one. But he knew, somewhere deep down, that Amy would never betray him or hurt him in any way. From the way her life had been so far, she knew what it was to hurt and how it felt to have no trust for people, especially men. She would never willingly hurt another person. 

He smiled. As for trust, well, she had let him kiss her and she had changed rapidly from the frightened mouse he had met in Vince's office, to the sweet-natured and very desirable woman she had become the next evening. 

He jumped out of bed and stretched slowly, trying to work the kinks out of his immense muscles before he took a shower. A wide smile stretched his lips and he shook his head. He couldn't wait to see her again, and he didn't even know her! Still, it would be good to see if his mind had been playing tricks on him the night before, or if she really was as gorgeous as he had thought. As far as he was concerned, lunch time couldn't come round fast enough. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven 

Amy sorted through her small collection of clothes and gave a sigh. She would be wearing jeans again today, but she didn't want to wear a sweater again as she had been far too hot in it the day before. The problem was that she didn't have anything else that she deemed large enough to sufficiently cover her up. She hated her figure, feeling like she was too full in places and far too fat in others and, besides, she didn't like attracting attention. She stopped what she was doing and stared blankly at the wardrobe. So why then did she let Mark kiss her? It was so unlike her to allow a man any sort of liberties, but just one look from his beautiful green eyes and she had turned to jelly. She supposed she should be feeling ashamed of her actions, but all she felt was a warmth inside that she had never experienced before. No-one had ever really been interested in her in that way, except for a couple of lowlifes and her ex-boss, and that had nothing to do with romance. Mark had romanced her. Even after only knowing her for a couple of days, he had actually romanced her. 

She shook herself out of her musings when there was a knock at the door and Stephanie walked in. "Hi, Amy. We're leaving in a few minutes, aren't you ready yet?" 

Amy looked down at the huge towel she was currently wrapped in and grimaced. "Not yet. I can't decide what to wear." 

"Is that all?" Stephanie said, raking through Amy's clothes before she could stop her. "Here, this is perfect. Comfortable and casual. Put it on and we'll see you downstairs in a few." Stephanie grinned at her and left the room, leaving Amy staring at the clothes she had handed her. 

Jeans, they were okay. But the top she had selected was one Amy had been given by her mother before she died, an attempt by the older woman to make Amy dress more alluringly. It wasn't much, really, just a T-shirt style top, but it was cropped and had a v-neck that would show her midriff and cleavage. 

She swallowed down her doubts and put the clothes on, staring at herself in the mirror. Okay, she thought, it isn't that bad. It doesn't show too much. The only thing showing was a smooth strip of her stomach barely visible above her jeans and her cleavage was only just peeking out of the v-neck. She sighed and wondered whether to just put on a big old T-shirt that covered it all up again, but Stephanie burst into the room and grabbed her arm before she could even think about it. 

"You look great, come on, we've got to get to work!" 

Amy found herself dragged downstairs and bundled into an enormous Limousine with the rest of the McMahon family, listening idly to their conversation as they drove towards the Arena. She wondered what Mark would think of her outfit and sighed again. He probably wouldn't even notice, not with the extremely skimpy outfits the women wrestlers wore into the ring. Compared to those women she felt like a dowdy old frump, despite her youth. 

Before long they pulled up at the Arena and everyone rushed off in their separate directions to start the day, leaving Amy with Vince in his office. Tammy, the wardrobe mistress, came in as Amy was sipping at a cup of coffee, holding a huge basket in her arms. 

"Hi, Vince," she said, turning to smile at him as she sat next to Amy. "Hi Amy, how are you today?" 

"I'm fine, thank you. What's all this?" she asked the other woman, motioning towards the basket she was holding. 

"This," Tammy said, pulling out some tops, "is a basket full of mending. I thought we'd start you on this for now, see how good you are and all that! See the small rips in the fabric and also, here, the seams are splitting? If you could just repair all these and then bring them back to me, I can assess what you'll be ready for next. Besides, you'll be saving me a ton of work. I have so much to do today that I don't think I'll have time for all this as well!" 

Amy smiled. It felt good having something to do. "No problem. I'll start now and hopefully it won't take me too long." 

"Great. Well, take your time, everything you need should be right there and you know where to find me, okay?" 

Amy nodded and immediately started pulling out the bundle of colourful clothing that had been worn by one wrestler or another, selecting one piece and threading a needle with the appropriate coloured thread. Vince turned on the TV and slid a video into the VCR. 

"Here you go, something to watch whilst you're busy," he said, giving her a quick grin before leaving the room. 

Amy hardly glanced up, until she heard the unmistakable sound of a bell tolling and then The Undertaker's music began. She fixed her gaze on the screen and watched a very old film of Mark wrestling. It was much the same as when she had watched him wrestle when she was 12 and she found she couldn't tear her eyes away. After the short match had finished she suddenly remembered what she should be doing and tried to get her mind back on her work. Another match began, this one also featuring Mark, but obviously a little more recent as his outfit and basic look had changed. Amy soon got the hang of sewing and watching TV in turn, and managed to see most of the video whilst also working. 

It seemed that Vince had made a compilation tape of some of Mark's matches, showing how his appearance had changed over the years, up to the present day. She didn't have the faintest idea what the time was, for all she knew she could have been sitting there for hours. She fished the last piece of clothing out of the basket and found it was a pair of black leather trousers with the crotch ripped open. After all the clothing she had already fixed, she didn't even stop to wonder who they had belonged to and merely went about fixing them with small neat stitches. Her attention was drawn once again to the screen when Mark had control of the microphone and was promising the cheering crowd that he was going to destroy some other poor wrestler the very next night. She was so transfixed by the sound of his voice when in 'Undertaker mode' that she didn't hear the door open. 

Mark walked in the room and saw Amy staring at the television, watching a recent video of him whilst holding onto what appeared to be a pair of his trousers. He walked up behind her and looked down to see what she was doing, noting her fingers were sticking through the hole in the crotch of his leather pants, ones he had recently torn in a match with The Big Show. 

"You know, if you wanted to get your hands in my pants, you only had to ask!" he said, leaning down to growl the words in her ear. 

Amy shrieked in fright and instantly stabbed herself deep in the finger with the needle as she struggled to jump out of the chair. She whirled around to see Mark standing there, looking half amused and half concerned at her reaction. "I didn't hear you!" she gasped, holding her hand up and wincing as she pulled the needle out of her finger. 

"I noticed," he said, walking around the chair and taking her hand. "Sorry, honey, I didn't mean to make you hurt yourself like that. Let me see," he said, tugging her closer to him so he could inspect the damage. 

"It's nothing," she murmured, trying to tug her hand away. 

"You've punctured yourself," he said softly, frowning. "The least I can do is kiss it better, don't you think?" He lifted her hand up and slowly drew her finger into his mouth, sucking away the tiny drop of blood and swirling his tongue around the tip before pulling it out again, equally as slowly. 

Amy stared at him open mouthed as he did this, thinking that in all her life she had never felt anything quite as erotic. Her cheeks heated under his intense stare and she suddenly realised that last night hadn't been some dream or illusion. It had really happened. He really thought she was sexy. 

"I love the outfit," he said, holding her arms out at the sides so he could examine her more closely. "Very nice." 

"I didn't choose it," she admitted, grimacing as she looked at how tight the top was. "Stephanie picked it out. I wouldn't normally wear something like this..." 

She stopped when he put a finger over her mouth. "Whoever chose it, I'm very grateful. You look gorgeous in it. Now," he said, taking her hand and tucking it into the crook of his arm. "Come with me, my lady, and we shall have some lunch!" 

"Lunch?" she asked, confused. 

"Yes, lunch. You have lunch in England right?" he said, grinning at her at he led her from the room, guiding her through the maze of corridors. 

"Well, yes," she said absently as she tried to follow the path they were taking, completely getting lost after the first two turns. "Where are we going?" 

"Well, seeing as how I have to be here all afternoon, I thought we could have something to eat here," he said as he pulled her along with him. When they stopped outside a plain door, Amy suddenly realised where they were. 

"This is your dressing room," she said, staring dumbly at the door. 

"Mmm-hmm. Your lunch awaits you, my lady," he said, smiling as he pushed the door open and gave her an elegant bow. 

Amy gasped as she saw what he had set up for her. A large blanket had been laid out on the floor of his dressing room and the couch had been pushed back out of the way. On the blanket was a picnic hamper, plates, knives, forks, wine glasses and a bottle of champagne. She was so overwhelmed that he had gone to so much trouble for her that she couldn't manage to say anything. At her continued silence, Mark straightened up and frowned worriedly. 

"It's okay isn't it? I mean, if you don't like it we can order something in, or maybe go out a bit later." He stopped talking when she gazed up at him, unable to define the emotion he could see in her eyes. 

She couldn't believe that he thought she didn't like it. He actually sounded worried. "I love it! Thank you!" she said softly, throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms around his chest as far as they would go. 

Mark was stunned for a second, but he instinctively closed his arms around her and hugged her back, breathing a sigh of relief that his instincts hadn't been wrong about her. He thought she would like simple things like this, just as he did, but he hadn't been one hundred percent certain. Before he could say anything, she pulled back and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the room with her and dropping down onto the blanket, forcing him to follow. 

"This is great! What's to eat?" she asked, opening the hamper and laying out the food he had put in it. There was a vast selection from a bowl of salad to a still warm roast chicken, and she made herself busy sharing out the food onto the plates. 

"You need more than that!" he said, glancing at what appeared to him to be a tiny plateful compared to the mountain she had heaped onto his plate. 

"This is plenty! Here, get eating," she said, thrusting his plate in front of him and handing him a knife and fork. "Oh, and pour some champagne!" 

He gave a salute. "Yes, ma'am!" 

She grinned at him and he found himself grinning right back at her, wondering vaguely if he looked like a huge, hulking moron. 

"Sorry, am I being bossy? I don't mean to be, but this is all so nice and...I've never had champagne. Is it nice?" she asked, rambling on. 

He blinked at her sudden change of subject and looked blankly down at the bottle he was holding. "It's okay. I prefer beer myself, but this seemed better for a picnic," he said, shrugging. 

"Oh, well you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble just for me, you should have bought yourself some beer, I wouldn't have minded. I don't drink as a rule, so it really..." his finger stopped her talking again. 

"It was no trouble. I wanted to do it, and I'm glad I did. And I quite like champagne, so that's fine too. The only words I want to hear from you are 'thank you Mark' or 'this is delicious' or even 'Gee, Mark, you're the best looking man I've ever met and I would just love you to put your hands on my...!" This time it was her hand that covered his mouth and he chuckled behind her small palm, his eyes glinting wickedly down at her. 

"You're dreadful!" she said in a hushed voice, as if someone was listening to them. 

"Yeah, I am, and I make no apologies for it. You'll just have to get used to it, darlin'. Now then, what are we hanging around for? Let's get eating!" He grabbed his knife and fork and happily tucked into his meal, closing his eyes and giving a very theatrical 'mmmm' as he chewed a mouthful of well-cooked chicken. 

Amy giggled at his expression and his eyes popped open, twinkling with amusement. "Something funny? And be careful how you reply, or you may find yourself pinned by The Undertaker, especially if I don't like the answer!" 

She narrowed her eyes as she contemplated him, a small mischievous smile touching her mouth. "I think I'll wait until I've eaten, if that's alright?" 

Now it was his turn to narrow his eyes. He looked at her suspiciously. "Why wait?" 

"Because you're bound to hate my answer, and I'm starving. So I'll eat now, before you can stop me." 

"And what makes you so sure that I'll hate your answer?" 

She rolled her eyes at him, making him smile at how much more confident she was becoming, even though she had only met him a short time ago. "I can hardly tell you that, can I? If I told you, then I'd be giving you an answer, and I've already said I won't do that until after I've eaten." She put a forkful of salad into her mouth and eyed him coolly, swallowing before she spoke again. "And you better get some food inside you, as well. Who knows what moves I might have picked up from watching your matches? You could be in big trouble!" 

Mark choked on his food as he laughed at her statement. "You think you can beat me?" 

She shrugged, feeling her heart trying to beat her to death at her own boldness. "I think I could give it a try. Why, scared?" 

He held one big hand out in front of him, making it shake. "Yeah, I'm just terrified. Look, I'm shaking and everything." He grinned as her expression changed from one of forced nonchalance, to genuine amusement. She was incredibly easy to read, and he could see that some of her confidence was forced. He felt pleased that she was trying to come out of her shell for him. "I think you're right about eating. I may need all my strength to fight you off!" 

She smiled at him and they both continued their strange carpet picnic, eating their fill of all the savoury food before turning to dessert. Amy pulled out a huge bowl of fruit salad with cream, looking for individual bowls and finding none. 

"There isn't anything to serve this into," she said, still searching even though it was obvious that there were no other bowls anywhere. All she came up with were two spoons. 

"Well, that's because this is my bowl. But if you're real nice to me, I might be persuaded to let you have a couple of mouthfuls," Mark said, grinning as he took the bowl off her and lifted the lid. 

"You couldn't handle all of that! It's huge!" 

He gave her a very wicked grin. "Thanks for the compliment darlin', but I believe we were talking about the dessert?" 

She blushed furiously as she got his meaning and slapped his arm, making him raise his eyebrows with indignation. "You struck me!" he accused her, pointing to the faint red mark that could barely be made out under the tattoos. 

"You deserved it! You have a filthy mind!" she said, handing him a spoon. 

"Indeed I do! Here, want some of my hugeness?" he asked her, grinning unrepentantly as he held the bowl out. 

"What am I going to do with you?" she asked, shaking her head in defeat at his continued smuttiness. 

"I could give you some pointers, if you'd like?" he offered eagerly, and she glared at him. 

"I bet you can, and I think I know just where they'd point, you pervert!" 

He laughed at her outraged expression and continued to demolish the fruit salad, allowing her a spoonful every now and then and watching her avidly every time she licked her lips. Amy wrinkled her nose up at her first taste of champagne, not liking the taste at all. She didn't want to offend him however, so she forced herself to drink half the glass, trying not to grimace at the sharp taste. Mark watched her, amused that she was forcing the sparkling wine down her throat, despite the fact that she looked as though she were drinking vinegar. 

"You don't have to drink it, you know. I don't mind," he said, taking the glass from her and leaning back to open the small refrigerator. He pulled a cold can of coke out and handed it to her. "Here, I think you may enjoy this a bit more." 

"Thank you," she said, taking the can from him with relief. "I'm sorry, I know it must have been expensive..." 

"But you think it tastes foul, right?" 

"Well, yes. I much prefer soft drinks. Have you got any beer in there? You could have a beer and enjoy yourself a bit more." 

"There are lots of ways I could enjoy myself a bit more," he murmured, staring fixedly at her mouth. He blinked and looked up into her eyes as a thought occurred to him. "You haven't told me what was so funny, yet. And, if I remember correctly, you said you could beat me in a wrestling match." 

"Oh. You haven't forgotten about that then, huh?" 

"No, I rarely forget about things like that. Not trying to back out are you?" he asked, moving closer to her and starting to clear everything up. When he had put the last of the things into the hamper and moved the hamper itself to the side of the room, he sat down next to her and raised his eyebrows. "Ready?" 

"For...for what?" she gulped, shuffling back a short distance. 

"Well, first, you've got to tell me what was so funny earlier, Second, I have to decide whether it bothers me or not and, if it does, then I have to pin you. Of course, you said that you could beat me, so we have that to try out too!" 

She stared at him warily and he closed the distance between them again, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands. "So, come on, tell me what was so funny. What were you laughing at? And don't lie, I'll be able to tell." 

"You," she said, swallowing down the slight apprehension she was feeling. 

"Me? Me what?" 

"I was laughing at you," she admitted. 

"Mmm-hmm. I thought as much. Now, does that answer offend me?" He put one hand on his beard and stroked it thoughtfully, frowning. "You know, I think it does. You want to make the first move, or you want me to?" 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight 

"The...the first move?" she stammered, her eyes getting larger as he raised himself up and loomed over her. 

"Yeah, as in the first wrestling move?" 

"I don't...I don't know any wrestling moves," she said softly, wondering what she had gotten herself into as he looked menacingly down at her. 

"Really?" His face brightened. "Then this should be easy, shouldn't it?" He put one hand behind her head and the other on her waist, moving so suddenly that she had no idea what he was going to do until she found herself laying flat on her back, the hand he had placed behind her head protecting her from hitting it on the floor. He grinned at her stunned expression. "That really _was_ easy!" he taunted her, raising his eyebrows and smiling smugly as he waited for her to retaliate. He felt relieved when her eyes narrowed, the look of shock and near horror disappearing as quickly as it had come. 

"You think I can't get out of this?" she asked him, trying to calm her breathing as his body covered most of hers and he held one of her arms. Her other arm was free, resting underneath his, and she moved her hand, running her fingers lightly up his side and heading for his armpit. When she got close he jumped and stared at her open mouthed, suddenly realising what she was doing. 

"You better stop that!" he warned her, looking faintly amazed. 

"Stop what?" she asked innocently, suddenly dipping her hand under his arm and tickling for all she was worth. His reaction was all she could possibly have hoped for and more. He was obviously extremely ticklish and she seemed to have found his most sensitive spot, judging by the bellow of laughter that erupted from him. He released her arm and wriggled away from her, trying to stop her small mobile hands from reaching under his arms. He only succeeded after grabbing both of her wrists and holding her away from him, trying to overcome the weakness that had consumed him. 

"That wasn't fair!" he gasped out when he finally stopped laughing. 

"I told you I could beat you!" she said, grinning impishly at him, her cheeks flushed from their small tussle. 

He stared at her, smiling and surprised at her sudden burst of courage. "You only beat me because I left one of your arms loose. I won't make that mistake again, darlin', and now I owe you!" 

"You owe me?" she asked quietly, amazed at how relaxed she felt laying next to him like this, even if he was grasping both her wrists. 

"Oh yeah, I owe you a damn good tickling! I assume you are ticklish?" He narrowed his eyes and looked as if he were contemplating where to start. 

"Er...no, no I'm not," she said, the small lie tumbling out of her mouth with a sound of desperation. 

He raised one eyebrow and grinned. "Is that right? How about I find out for myself? Somehow, I don't think you're being honest with me. Not _scared_ are you?" 

Amy was wondering how she could get out of this without getting tickled to death. She shook her head in answer to his question and started trying to tug her hands away from his. He watched her and pursed his lips thoughtfully, not loosening his grip at all. 

"Tell me something, darlin'. If you ain't ticklish, why are you trying so hard to get away? And, just in case you were wondering, I'm not gonna to let you go!" he smiled smugly at her and moved an inch closer, chuckling as she tried and failed to move further away from him. His amusement made her lift her chin and narrow her eyes, her fighting spirit coming to the fore. 

"Typical man! I suppose you think that just because you're a bit bigger than me..." 

"A lot bigger," he put in. 

"...ok, a lot bigger, that you can just use your slightly superior strength..." 

"Slightly superior?" he asked, grinning at her flushed face. 

"...will you stop interrupting!" 

"I'm sorry," he said, not looking in the least bit apologetic. "Please, continue." 

"What I'm saying is, that you're feeling a little bit irritated that I got the better of you, despite your size. Maybe you're feeling a bit uncertain about your abilities," she said, trying not to smile at the comical expression on his face. "I mean, despite your skill in the ring, a woman like me could actually render you weak and unable to move. It must be pretty annoying. You wait until the other wrestlers hear about this..." 

"Firstly, you didn't get the better of me, you surprised me is all. Secondly, there is no way on earth I'm gonna to let you blab about this to the other guys. And thirdly, maybe most importantly, did you say a woman like you?" He moved even closer to her and smiled from a space of maybe two inches. "From what I learned about you last night, honey, you ain't a woman. At least, not yet." 

Amy's mouth dropped open at his confident statement and she felt her face heat under his steady gaze. "That's not...you can't...you can't say things like that!" 

"I can't?" he said, looking vaguely surprised. "But I just did." 

"You shouldn't." 

"Aw, why not sweetheart? I do love to see that beautiful colour on your face, and then there's the way your mouth sort of hangs open like that. It's in just the perfect position..." he tailed off and leaned in to claim her lips, his mouth closing over the 'o' of hers completely, his tongue instantly sweeping inside before she could even think about closing her mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed as the pleasurable sensations flooded through her and she responded to his kiss just as she had the previous night. She felt him tug her so she was flush against him and pull her hands up to his shoulders, before releasing them so she could make up her mind where she wanted to put them. 

She loved the width of his shoulders and how solid he felt and her arms looped around his neck, holding him to her firmly as if she were afraid this wasn't really happening and he would simply disappear in a puff of smoke. But the feel of his tongue stroking slowly against hers was very real, as was the feel of his massive arms closing around her body, one hand cupping the back of her head and the other running up and down her back. 

The kiss moved from gentle to urgent in the blink of an eye and Mark found he couldn't get enough of her. He had thought it might have been his imagination the night before when he had thought she tasted sweet, but it wasn't. No amount of imagination on his part could have conjured up how this girl tasted, or how responsive she was to each change of pressure his lips made as he deepened the kiss. He drew back suddenly to take a breath of air, realising he had stopped breathing as he savoured the flame of desire that was coursing through him. 

Amy made a soft sound of disappointment when he pulled back and reluctantly raised her eyelids, staring into the dark green eyes so close to her. Mark smiled at her drowsy expression and dropped a soft kiss on her swollen lips, unable to help himself from bestowing the small caress. "Are you okay, darlin'?" he asked, moving his mouth across her jaw and down the side of her neck. 

"Mmm," Amy murmured, the only sound she could make as his lips travelled to the curve between neck and shoulder and nibbled at her, making her shiver at the sensations this caused. 

Mark lifted his head and gave her a dazzling smile. "Discovered a sensitive spot, did I? Let's try that again," he said, dropping his head to her neck again and using his tongue and teeth on the smooth skin, making her writhe against him as passion made itself known to her for the first time ever. He kept at it until he couldn't bear her movements any more, her hips pressed against his so tightly that each tiny wriggle she gave made his aroused flesh harden even more until it was almost painful. 

The speed with which Amy found herself laying on her own should have made her feel insulted, but she was in too much of a daze to feel anything much except for astonishment. She turned her head to see what Mark was doing and found him laying on his stomach, his hands clutching the sides of his head as he drew in huge gulps of air. She frowned and wondered if he was alright, because he was acting as if he were in pain. 

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, reaching out a hand to touch his arm. Before she could make contact his hand shot out and grabbed hers, stopping her from touching his body in any way. 

"Don't touch me just yet, honey. I can promise that, if you do, you will remain a virgin for about five seconds!" he said, turning his head and seeing the confusion she couldn't hide. He chuckled and closed his eyes briefly. "Honey, I haven't been this turned on and actually had to stop for about twenty years. If you touch me, I am not gonna to be able to help myself. Do you understand?" 

"Oh," she said softly, embarrassed by how frank he could be. Then she realised that it had been her who had put him in his current state, and she felt a sense of elation. To think that this incredibly sexy man was almost out of control and all because of her. She smiled at the thought. 

Mark opened his eyes and saw the smile, finding an answering one turning up his lips as his body finally began to relax. "What are you smiling about? You proud of yourself or something?" 

Amy jumped when he spoke because she had been lost in thought and she turned her eyes to his. Her smile widened. "Actually I am, a bit." 

"Oh yeah? You think reducing me to this condition is something to be proud of?" he asked as he slowly sat up. 

"Well, yes. Sort of," she said softly, watching his huge body move from its prone position, her appreciation of his physique plain to see in her eyes. 

Mark smiled at her, his eyes narrowing. "See anything you like?" 

Amy blushed but lifted her chin and stared him straight in the eye, trying to look superior to him. "Not really. You have a beer gut and your...your ears are enormous. Nothing to like there, really." 

His eyes widened at her words. He patted his stomach and sucked it in a touch, trying to look worried and failing miserably. "I do not have a beer gut and, as for my ears, well they may be enormous but they go with everything else on my body, honey." He gave her one of his dazzlingly sexy grins and waited for her response. He didn't have to wait long. Her cheeks went a deep scarlet and her mouth dropped open. His rumbling laughter made her slap his arm. 

"You're terrible...the things you say!" 

"Yep, I know. But you do rise to the bait so beautifully, darlin', I just can't resist," he said, still smiling. He looked at his watch and sighed. "I guess we better get moving, we both have work to do." 

He pulled Amy up with him when he stood, bending to give her a brief kiss that left her wanting more. "I'll walk you back up to Vince's office," he said, taking her hand and leading her from the room. Amy was sad to end their lunch, but she knew he would have to get back to work and she had to finish mending what she now knew were his trousers. She wondered if he would ask to see her again, but secretly thought it was unlikely. No matter how much he had enjoyed her company, she knew she wasn't like the women he would usually be seen with. Still, hope was a wonderful thing. 

When they walked into the office they found Vince sitting at his desk, frowning over some paperwork. He looked up as soon as the door opened and gave Amy a smile, frowning at Mark. "Where have you been? I was getting worried about Amy and nobody had seen her." 

"Sorry about that, but I didn't realise I needed your permission to feed her. We were only in my dressing room," Mark said, surprised at Vince's reaction. But he supposed he had good reason to worry about this particular girl, what with her past and everything. 

"You don't need my permission. It would just have been nice to know her whereabouts. So you had lunch then? In your dressing room? Alone?" Vince asked, narrowing his eyes at Mark. 

"Ahem, I am here, you know. You could ask me!" Amy said, staring from one man to the other in confusion. 

"Of course I could honey," Vince said, his tone softer when he spoke to her. "Did you have a nice lunch, then?" 

"Yes, thank you. Mark made us a picnic," she said, smiling at the huge man standing in the doorway. Vince watched as Mark's expression softened as he stared at Amy, returning the smile. 

"A picnic? In his dressing room?" 

"Yes and it was really lovely. He even got champagne," Amy said, sounding excited still by the small gesture. 

"Not that she liked the stuff," Mark said. 

"It tasted a bit like vinegar, to be honest. But he gave me a cola instead." 

"Mmm. Did he give you anything else?" Vince asked, making her swing her eyes back to him and frown. 

"Like what?" she asked, wondering why her Godfather looked so tense all of a sudden. 

"Well, you know, I can't help noticing that every time you go off somewhere alone with him, you come back with strange marks on you. Yesterday it was the rash on your chin, today it's the mark on your neck." He nodded to her neck and Amy instantly put her hand up to where Mark had been kissing her, gasping as she realised he must have left his brand on her. "Care to explain that, Mr Calloway?" 

"Ain't nothing to explain bossman. Last time I looked, she was an adult." 

"Last time you looked? What the hell does that mean?" Vince asked, his voice hardening as he stood up to glare at Mark. 

Amy was stunned by this turn of events and quickly stood in front of Vince, trying to block his view of Mark. "Vince, it's okay. He didn't do anything to me, we just...er..."she broke off as her embarrassment almost choked her. Vince relented when he saw her face. 

"I'm sorry, Peaches. It's hard for me to stop worrying about you, you know?" 

"I know. But Mark wouldn't ever hurt me, you know that, you know him." 

"Yeah, I know." He gave her a smile and ran his thumb down her cheek before looking up at the younger man. "I'm sorry Mark, I shouldn't have jumped down your throat like that." 

Mark had been watching Amy calm Vince down and smiled. "It's okay, you were worried about her. That's not a bad thing. I'll make sure to let you know where I've taken her next time, okay?" 

Amy turned to look at him when he said this, her heart leaping up into her throat at the thought that he might actually want to see her again. She was shocked when he moved towards her and bent to kiss her right in front of Vince, not reticent about showing his affection. 

"Hey, I might not be angry any more, but if I see that tongue make one tiny appearance I'll throw you through the window!" Vince said, raising his voice and glaring at Mark again, only not seriously this time. 

Mark grinned, giving Vince a sidelong look and then dropping another kiss on her startled mouth. His fingers brushed gently over her neck, running over the faint bruise that still remained and then towards her shoulder, where the mark he had made was. He smiled wickedly when he studied it, brushing it with his thumb before he moved away from her and then left the room, winking at Amy as he did so. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine 

"Well, well," Vince said, sitting back down and staring at Amy. "Only in town three days and already you have the biggest and most feared wrestler wrapped around your little finger!" 

"It's not like that," Amy said, sinking down into the chair opposite him. 

"No? What is it like then?" 

"He's really sweet," she said, smiling as she remembered the lovely picnic he had set out for them. 

"Sweet? _Mark_?" Vince said, looking at her as though she were crazy. 

"He is! He's really nice," she said, not having the faintest idea of how dreamy her expression had become. She frowned suddenly. "Although, sometimes he says the most outrageous things!" 

"Really, like what?" Vince asked, finding her reaction to the huge wrestler amusing. 

"Oh...er...nothing much...er..." she cleared her throat and stood up. "I need to finish those clothes, before Tammy comes looking for me." 

Vince chuckled as he watched her move away and sit over the other side of the office. He hadn't been able to help himself from worrying about her, even though he actually did trust Mark. He knew the younger man wouldn't hold his words against him, they had argued in the past. Still, he would have to let Amy have her freedom, even though he felt like he should lock her away from the world now she had finally come to him for help. 

One thing did worry him quite deeply though, and that was what Mark's intentions were. He had only just finalised his divorce from Sara, and he had to be a little wary of getting involved again, especially considering the circumstances of the lengthy divorce. He had only had one use for women since the initial split, and Vince had watched him use them and fling them aside without a moment's hesitation. For the last two months he hadn't actually been seen with a woman, however, seeming to avoid them at all costs, and had got himself quite a reputation as a misogynist. Okay, so he seemed to be paying more attention to Amy and obviously he hadn't actually dragged her off to his bed, but Vince felt it would only be a matter of time and he knew Amy wouldn't be able to handle that. She seemed smitten, and she was so damned innocent that her heart would be completely broken if Mark used her. 

Vince frowned. He resolved to have a serious talk with the younger man as soon as they both had a moment free later that day. As it was, the whole company was extremely busy. In three weeks they were to be in Connecticut and would remain there for four weeks, one of the longest stays anywhere they had made for some years. Vince would be going there in a few days time ahead of everyone else and he was looking forward to going home instead of staying in rented houses all the time or worse, hotel rooms. He would also enjoy showing off his house to Amy, who had never actually seen it. 

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he absently called out for the person to come in. Tammy stuck her head around the door and grinned at Vince. "Only me, just thought I'd come and see how Amy's getting along." She walked into the office and flung herself down in a chair near Amy, sorting through the box full of mended clothes. 

Amy had just finished stitching the trousers and handed them to Tammy as well, waiting quietly whilst the other woman inspected everything. "You're good. These stitches are so neat you can barely see them! Well, I wanted to know what you were capable of, and now I know. A lot more than I just gave you." She smiled at Amy. "There's nothing else for you to do today and I've pretty much finished up, so how about we go get a coffee and I can get to know you better?" 

Amy smiled. "I'd like that," she said, standing up and looking at Vince. "Is it okay if I go off with Tammy?" 

"You don't have to ask my permission, despite how I was just now. No, go off and have a bit of fun and we'll meet back here at...say, five?" He smiled at both of the women and waved his hands towards them. "Go, shoo!" 

As soon as they left the room Tammy started asking questions. "What did he mean about how he was just now?" 

"Oh, nothing really. He just gave Mark the third degree because he hadn't been able to find me and he found out we had just had lunch together." 

"Mark? Calloway? So that's you, huh?" she said, her eyes glittering with amusement. 

"Me? What's me?" 

"You're the one he's been seen with. You realise you're the first female he's been spotted with for a couple of months now?" 

Amy shook her head. "I didn't know that. But then, I don't know much about him really and Vince hasn't told me anything yet. Why hasn't he been seen with any women?" 

"Something to do with his ex-wife, or so we all think. We thought he hated women, but I guess we must have been wrong!" Tammy smiled at the shorter woman as they walked towards the restaurant. 

"He was married?" Amy asked, incredibly curious to find out more about the huge man who was making such an impression on her. 

"Yeah, twice actually. From all accounts his last wife was the bitch from hell, but I don't know the exact circumstances of their split. Not that I haven't tried to find out, believe me!" 

Amy laughed at Tammy's expression and they sat at a table an ordered their coffee. "Maybe he'll tell me about her, if I asked." 

Tammy shook her head. "I wouldn't try it, honey. The last person who even mentioned Sara's name was knocked through a doorway. Of course, they've made it up since, but if it had been anyone else I'm sure they wouldn't be friends anymore." 

"Who was it?" 

"Glenn. You know, Glenn Jacobs? Kane? They're good friends and I guess he thought he'd be safe talking about Mark's ex, but he was dead wrong." She stopped talking suddenly and looked momentarily lost in thought. "Glenn came to me to patch him up, because the nurse had already left for the day. He wasn't wearing very much and that sort of made my day." 

"You like Glenn?" 

Tammy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. Not that he's ever noticed me, of course. Even when I was wiping blood from his mouth he barely made eye contact. Ah well, that's the way it goes for some of us I guess." 

Amy frowned at the other woman's glum expression, quickly covered up with a smile. "Have you ever tried talking to him? Glenn, I mean?" 

"Sort of. Well, no, actually, I guess I haven't. I've said hello and remarked on the weather in passing, that sort of thing." She shrugged and gave a small laugh. "I get a bit tongue tied when he's around, which doesn't help. Anyway, enough about the gorgeous wrestler with the sparkling hazel eyes and fantastic body...see? There I go again! Stop me, tell me about you." 

Amy laughed and proceeded to tell Tammy about her life so far, missing out all the bad things and glossing over her move to the States. "You live in San Antonio? And you came all the way to L.A. just to see Vince?" 

"I had some trouble and I...well...I needed to see a friendly face again. Vince is like family, the only family I have left, and there wasn't anything left for me in San Antonio. Besides, it wasn't that far to travel." Amy shrugged and tried not to look too uncomfortable. "Now Vince has offered me this job and it's a real Godsend. This is only my second day here and I already feel at home. Everyone's been so nice." 

Tammy grinned. "Especially one big, tattooed wrestler, huh? So what's going on with you two?" 

"I really don't know, to be honest. We had dinner last night with Vince and Linda, and Mark made me lunch today. He's nice." 

"Nice. Hmm, not a word I've heard to describe Mark Calloway before, but I have to admit he's only ever been polite to me so I have no complaints. So all you've done so far is eat together?" Tammy studied Amy's face carefully, noticing the slight flush that crept into her cheeks at her question. "Oh, so that's not all?" 

"Well, not quite. He kissed me," Amy admitted, almost feeling like she was doing something wrong by confessing it. 

"You lucky thing. I wish Glenn would kiss me. Actually, I wish Glenn would look at me. Tell me what your secret is, maybe that'll help?" 

Amy laughed at the wistful look on her face. "I wish I knew what it was, then maybe I could have made it work before now. It never has before." 

"Never? What, you've never...?" Tammy asked, looking faintly shocked, but also strangely hopeful. When Amy shook her head, she grinned. "Do you know how long I've waited to hear another woman admit that? Join the club, honey!" 

"What? You're a...how can you be a..." she lowered her voice, "...a virgin. You're beautiful." 

"Well, beautiful might be pushing it a little, but I know I'm not ugly. As to how, well I guess I'm old fashioned. That sort of attitude doesn't fit in well with today's society, and I am extremely fussy." 

"Well, it's nice to know I'm not the last one left," Amy said, smiling as she sipped her coffee. 

"Amen to that...oh my God! Look who just walked in!" 

Amy glanced back over her shoulder and saw a man who was equal in height to Mark, if not taller, and just as big. He had long, curly brown hair that hung to his shoulders and hazel eyes. He wasn't fantastically handsome, but he was very attractive in a purely masculine way. "I assume that's Glenn?" 

"You don't know?" Tammy squeaked, suddenly looking years younger than she had and very nervous. 

"No, when he came into Mark's dressing room, I wasn't looking at him, I was sort of upset..." 

"Oh, I heard about that! Paul and Dwayne haven't stopped apologising to Mark for it, from what I hear. What's he doing?" 

"Glenn?" Amy asked, watching the tall man sit at one of the tables across the room. "He's just sat down and now he's ordering something. Why don't you go and say hello?" 

"Are you crazy? Would you?" Tammy asked, her face slightly pink. 

Amy shook her head. "No, I wouldn't have the guts. But you seem so confident, or you did until he walked in." 

"I know. You see what I mean? I don't just become tongue tied, I end up like a shivering mass of jelly!" She watched as Amy's eyes suddenly jerked up. "What? What's he doing?" 

"I think he's coming over here!" Amy said, watching as Glenn approached their table. 

"Hi, you're Amy, right?" he asked as he stopped next to them. "I sort of met you the other day, but you were a little preoccupied at the time. I'm Glenn Jacobs, welcome to the world of wrestling." 

He held out his huge hand and Amy let him shake hers, smiling up at him shyly. "Pleased to meet you," she said, glancing briefly at Tammy's lowered head. "You know Tammy, of course?" 

Glenn turned his head and stared down at the blonde woman, who seemed to be looking everywhere but at him. "Tammy? I think so. You work in the wardrobe department don't you?" 

Tammy jumped when he said her name and her arm flicked out, knocking over her cup of coffee and sending the contents flying across the table to spatter all over Glenn's trousers. "Oh, God, I am so sorry," she said, her voice trembling as she looked on in wide eyed horror at the mess she had caused. 

Glenn frowned when he saw her panic and he held his hands up, smiling and trying to lighten the mood. "It's okay, honey, it don't matter. They'll wash..." he broke off as she pushed out of her seat and hurried out of the restaurant, not saying another word. "Christ, what did I say?" 

"Nothing, it's okay. I'd better go after her," Amy said, moving out of her seat. 

"Is she alright?" Glenn asked her before she could leave. 

Amy looked at him and a plan formed in her mind. "You know, I keep getting lost and I don't know if I'll be able to find her. Maybe you could show me the way, or better yet, maybe you could check on her yourself. You must know her better than me." 

"Actually, I don't. I've seen her before of course, and she's even had me in the wardrobe department to measure me up for a new outfit. But she never seems to look at me." He looked like that fact bothered him and Amy felt happy all of a sudden, trying not to show it when Glenn started talking again. "Come on, I'll show you the way back to Vince's office then I'll go and see if she's okay. I didn't mean to upset her." 

"You didn't do anything to upset her, don't worry. She's just a little jumpy, that's all," Amy said reassuringly, walking out of the restaurant next to him and wondering where all her previous nervousness was going. Being here was obviously doing her good, she decided. 

Glenn walked her to Vince's office as promised, hardly talking and seeming preoccupied the whole time. He gave Amy a brief smile before marching off. 

"You're back early," Vince said, leaning back in his chair with a tired sigh. 

"I know. I simply couldn't stay away from my favourite godfather!" she replied, sitting in the chair in front of him and grinning. 

"I'm your only godfather, so that doesn't count. Well, seeing as you're back so soon and I have just finished everything I need to do, how about we get out of here early? We can have a nice relaxing dinner at the house with the rest of the family." Vince said, standing up and moving around the desk. "Maybe we could even get some swimming in, it's incredibly hot and I haven't even used the pool yet. Have you got a costume?" 

Amy shook her head and tried not to look too worried. She hated showing her body off to anyone and the thought of parading around in a swimming costume made her shudder, even if it was only in front of Vince and his family. "That's okay, I'm sure Steph will have something for you to wear. You could do with a tan on that glowing white skin of yours!" 

She took Vince's hand as he reached to help her up, and they left the office, walking slowly through the maze of corridors until they reached the exit. 

"You know I don't tan easily, all the sun ever does is give me thousands of freckles," Amy said, grimacing as she pointed to the bridge of her nose and the spattering of freckles that marched their way across it. 

"Ah, honey, don't you know that men just love freckles? Gives us something to count when we're bored," Vince said happily, handing her into his car. When he joined her he gave her a slightly wicked look. "I'm sure Mark would have a huge amount of fun counting your freckles." 

"Ha, as if you'd let him! I thought you two were going to come to blows earlier, and I still have no idea why!" 

Vince looked briefly uncomfortable. "I was just worried about you, I didn't really mean to be verbal about it. I'd hate to see you get hurt, you know that." 

"I know, it's okay. It's quite nice to be worried about for a change, it just feels a bit weird I suppose. You don't really think Mark would hurt me, do you?" she asked, not able to help herself from voicing the question. 

Vince took his time replying, which made Amy worry even more. "I don't think he'd deliberately hurt you, no. And he definitely wouldn't physically hurt you, so you don't have to worry about that." 

When he stopped talking and concentrated on driving, Amy stared at him and frowned. "But?" 

"But...he's been through a really bad divorce. For the first few months after they split up, he used and discarded more women than I can count. He's not normally that sort of man, but I guess what she did to him turned him around for a while." Vince scowled as he thought of Mark's ex-wife. "Anyway, he settled down again. But for the last two months he hasn't spoken to a woman at all, except for Linda and Stephanie. All other females have avoided him because he just yells at them. He got himself quite a reputation for hating women." 

"Oh." Amy chewed her lip and he frown deepened. "But he wasn't rude to me." 

"No, he definitely hasn't been rude to you, Peaches. That's not how I'd describe his behaviour towards you at all. He's been very attentive." 

"You don't trust him, do you?" she asked him. 

"I trust him a great deal with anything else, but not with you. I've seen how he's treated women and I don't want that happening to you. I'd have to kill him and then where would I be? Without my best wrestler, that's where!" he said, with an attempt at humour. 

"So you'd rather I didn't see him again?" she asked, trying to sound calm and controlled, where in reality she was starting to feel sad. If Vince said he didn't want her seeing Mark, then she felt like she'd have no choice but to bow to his wishes. After all, he was doing so much for her and she didn't want to appear ungrateful, but the thought of never seeing the big Texan again was horrible. 

Vince gave her a sideways look and smirked. "I keep forgetting how different you are from Stephanie. She wouldn't even have thought of saying that, let alone obeying me if I said yes. I wouldn't ask you to stop seeing someone, but I can't help having reservations." He stopped speaking as they drove down the curved driveway to the house and stopped the car. He turned to her before they got out. "I will tell you that I intend to talk to Mark and find out what his intentions are. Oh, I don't mean in the marriage sense, just to make sure that he's not just playing you. But I want you to know that that's what I intend to do. If he can make me believe that he won't hurt you, and I warn you that I am hard to fool, then I won't have any problems with you seeing him." 

Amy stared at him for a while, wondering at how strange it felt to have someone be concerned for her well being. She smiled at him and nodded. "Okay. Why did he get divorced?" 

Now it was Vince's turn to smile. "That's not my story to tell, honey. If you want to know what happened between Mark and his ex-wife, then you have to ask him. If you think you're brave enough. Have you heard what he did to Glenn?" 

Amy nodded. "Yes, Tammy told me about it. I suppose I'll never find out what happened, then, because I am definitely not brave enough to ask him about it." 

"Hmm, we'll see. You're changing before my eyes, young lady, even in just a few days. It's nice to see." 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten 

That evening they sat down in what would have been a family dining room had the house actually belonged to the McMahons. Stephanie spoke to Amy for a while before studying a large sheaf of papers, getting lost in whatever it was she was reading. Vince and Linda entertained Amy with some of the stories they had concocted in the past for the benefit of the wrestling fans. She thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the only thing that would have made it better was if Mark could have been there. In all honesty, she didn't have any idea where he actually was and since she had only known him two days, she knew she had no right to know. Still, he was the first man who had ever shown an interest in her who wasn't abrasive or overbearing, and so far she had enjoyed his company. She couldn't help but hope that he would ask her out again, even if it did seem unlikely. 

"Oh, I almost forgot," Vince said, reaching inside his jacket pocket for something. "I got you this today." He placed a cell phone on the table and slid it across to her. "It's so I know where you are at all times." 

Linda elbowed him and rolled her eyes. "No, it isn't so he can keep tabs on you, at all! It's so you can always call us if you need us, even if it's for us to pick you up from somewhere." 

"Plus you can use it to make long intimate phone calls to a certain someone," Vince said, raising his eyebrows, his mouth curving into a smile when she blushed. 

Amy felt overwhelmed that they cared enough about her to want to make sure she was safe, that she could contact them if she needed them. She picked the phone up and studied it for a few seconds while she swallowed down the lump that had formed in her throat. "Thank you so much," she said quietly when she could trust her voice again. 

Linda squeezed her hand. "It's nothing Amy, just a phone." 

"It's the thought behind it though," Amy replied. 

"You know you're going to have to get used to this? You're a part of our family and we'll worry about you all the time that you're not with us. It's what families do," Linda said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. 

"Not all families," Amy said, her tone subdued as memories tried to crowd in on her current happiness. 

"No, not all families. I know that as well as you do," Vince said, recalling bad times from his own childhood. "But this family looks out for one another, and you better not forget it! It works both ways you know? Any one of us may need you to help us at some time, and we'll expect you to be there for us, too." 

"I would be," she said, worried that he might think she would ignore them if they needed her. 

"I know," Vince said, smiling gently. "So you better get used to the idea that we'll be there for you as well, for as long as you need us." 

Amy bit her lip. "That may be a long time." 

"We're counting on it," Vince replied, smiling with something like relief. It was the first time she had intimated that she would stay for any length of time. "As far as we're concerned, Peaches, you're welcome to stay forever." 

"Thank you," Amy whispered, looking half sad and half happy. She swiped at her eyes self consciously. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just tired. I'll go up if that's alright?" 

"Wherever we're staying is your home, so you can treat it as such. Off you go and we'll see you in the morning." Linda smiled and watched as the young girl left the room, her shoulders drooping slightly. 

Vince looked at his wife's concerned expression and grabbed her hand. "It's going to take some time for her to get over her past. She's not used to being cared about in any way, but she'll get there. We'll help her." 

Linda nodded and watched as Vince got his own cell phone out and sent a text message. "Who was that to?" 

"Oh, nobody important. Just letting someone know Amy's new number," he replied innocently. 

"Is this nobody important covered in body art by any chance?" 

"Could be," he said, smiling smugly. 

"I wish you'd make your mind up about him," Linda said, shaking her head. 

"What do you mean?" 

"One minute you like the idea of Amy coming out of her shell with him, the next you want to deck him for daring to look at her in a certain way. She's not a child," Linda said sternly. 

"No, she isn't. And neither is he, which is far more important. Still, I guess I do trust him, which is why I gave him her number. He cheers her up." Vince rubbed a hand through his hair. "Anyway, it's extremely early days yet. Once we leave for home she won't be able to see him for two weeks anyway, because he's committed to the show. She can have a holiday with us in the meantime." 

"And I suppose you think that will make her forget him or vice versa?" 

"Well, you never know," Vince said, pursing his lips thoughtfully. 

"You know what they say. Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Linda said, giving him a knowing look. 

"Oh, for God's sake. They only met yesterday, they aren't in love!" 

"I fell in love with you the first time I met you, and my parents said the same thing to me. So don't be too sure about how they feel." 

Vince glared at his wife and sighed, wondering what he'd done by even introducing Mark to Amy. Well, it was too late now, he would just have to watch and wait...and be ready to kill if necessary, he thought grimly. 

The next morning Vince dragged Amy with him to work and handed her over to Tammy, with instructions to make sure she 'gave her something complicated' to do. 

Tammy grinned at her as Vince walked away. "What did you do to piss the boss off?" 

"I have no idea," Amy replied, shaking her head and staring after Vince's retreating figure. 

"Well, what the boss says, goes. So, I have just the thing for you to do, and you never know, you may even enjoy it!" Tammy said with a wicked glint in her eyes. She pulled Amy inside the room and handed her a tape measure, a pad and a pen. After picking up the same for herself she gave a slightly unsteady smile. "Okay, let's go." 

"Go where?" 

"To Mark and Glenn's dressing room, of course. We have some measurements to take," Tammy said, starting to look nervous. 

"M...measurements? You mean I have to...oh, I can't," Amy said, not moving. 

"You have to. I have to do it and I feel just as nervous, and I've been doing it for years. I suppose it makes it worse because of who we're measuring..." 

"But...but they've been wrestling for years, you must have their measurements already!" Amy said hopefully. 

"I have old ones. But their outfits are starting to get a bit ill-fitting, especially Glenn's, he's lost a few pounds. I have to do this every once in a while. It'd make me feel much better having you there, because I can teach you how to measure at the same time I'm doing it. That way Glenn won't think I'm just there to feel him up!" Tammy said, smiling shakily. 

"You could always measure Mark and I could measure Glenn, if that helps?" 

"No, no. I am there just so I can feel him up. Glenn's mine!" Tammy said, giving a small laugh. 

"Talking of Glenn, did he find you yesterday after you threw your coffee all over him?" Amy asked, reaching for any subject to delay what she knew she was going to have to do. 

She watched as the older woman blushed. "Yeah, he did. And you want to know what I did? He burst into the room without knocking and I threw a tray full of pins at him in shock! It took me quite a while to pick them out of his chest, not that he seemed to mind. He laughed at me the whole time." 

Amy couldn't help but laugh herself at the mental picture she got. "You really know how to make an impression!" 

"Don't I just? Still, it wasn't all bad. He said thanks and then touched my face..." she tailed off and started to look mesmerised, before shaking herself. "Anyway, we have to do this, and you have to learn, so let's go." 

Tammy marched off so quickly that Amy found herself jogging to catch up with her long legged stride. "Do we have to?" 

"Yes, we do. I had this scheduled for this morning anyway, and now I have you to back me up. Come on, deep breaths, we're nearly there." 

Almost too soon they were standing outside the door and Amy could hear the rumble of voices from inside, punctuated by deep laughter. She took a deep breath and swallowed. "Are we measuring for...er...trousers?" 

"Oh yeah, we sure are," Tammy said, sounding just as breathless as she did. Gathering her nerve, the blond knocked on the door and swung it open as soon as she heard one of them shout out to come in. 

Amy had to admire her resolve. Obviously this was a part of the job that she found difficult, but she gritted her teeth and got on with it. Amy decided she would have to do the same. 

Mark was sitting on the settee, leaning his head against the back with his eyes closed. He opened them and immediately sat up straight when he saw her walk in, a smile curling the corners of his mouth. "Good morning, Amy," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. "Busy?" he asked, nodding towards the tape measure. 

"Oh...er...well, I have to...er...measure you..." she stammered, blushing when his eyebrows shot up. 

"Measure me?" he said, standing up and moving closer to her, noticing how Glenn was leaning down to talk to Tammy and that neither of them were paying any attention to what he was doing. "What part of me are you gonna measure, honey?" He watched as her face was completely suffused with colour and her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. He touched a finger to her nose. "I heard Vince call you Peaches, which I have to assume is because of this beautiful complexion. But seeing as it changes colour whenever you're around me, I think I'll just call you Scarlet." 

Amy was shocked when he leaned down and planted a brief kiss on her lips. He didn't seem to care that the other two were in the room, but when she looked across at them, she realised why. Glenn was standing so close to Tammy that they were virtually touching and Tammy's face was the same colour as Amy's. Whatever he was saying to Tammy had made her eyes become incredibly wide. 

Mark's hand caressing her cheek made her attention jump back to him, and she looked up into his impossibly green eyes, seeing them crinkle at the corners as he smiled. "You know, you looked just like this when I kissed you in Vince's office. Am I not allowed to touch you in front of anyone?" 

"I...I don't mind...you..." she swallowed and tried again. "People will think that we're...you know..." 

He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "I am an adult, you know? I am allowed to have a relationship." 

"A relationship?" 

"Mmm-hmm. A relationship. Me and you. You got a problem with that?" 

"You don't know me and...I don't really know you..." 

His thumb rubbed across her bottom lip, stopping her from rambling. "I know enough for now, and the rest we'll find out as we go along. I'm not looking for a quick roll in the hay, Scarlet, if that's what's worrying you." He studied her expression and his eyes narrowed. "My God, you've only been here for a few days and the gossips have already got to you haven't they?" 

"Well, I heard some stuff," she admitted as he led her to the settee and pulled her down on it next to him. 

"And you believe it all?" 

"Not really, but..." 

"But? Either you believe it or you don't!" he said, his voice like a soft growl as he became impatient. It would be nice for just one person to disbelieve all the rumours for once, even if some of them were true. He saw her tense as his voice deepened and took a calming breath, forcing himself not to get angry at her. After all, she hadn't actually done anything and he knew he was being unreasonable. 

"I don't believe rumours just for the sake of it," she said quietly, biting her lip. "I prefer to get to know the person in question first. I...I'm sure there's a grain of truth in them somewhere, but you don't seem like that to me." 

Mark was surprised and his face showed it. "You don't think I'm like that?" He watched as she shook her head and his face relaxed into a smile. "How would you like to have dinner with me tonight at the hotel?" 

Amy smiled shyly and lifted her chin. "Is this a date?" 

He chuckled and tugged at a strand of her curly red hair. "Yep, this is a date. Well?" 

"I'd love to. I haven't got anything glamorous to wear, though," she said worriedly. 

"We can soon fix that. I'll take you shopping this afternoon, and don't argue, I always get my own way!" He fixed her with a warning look. 

"So not all the gossip was untrue then?" she said, trying for a teasing tone, pleased with her efforts when he slanted her a stern glare and grabbed her chin threateningly, but gently. 

"Want to know which bits _are_ true?" he growled, leaning closer to her, his intentions clear in his eyes. 

Just as he was about to make contact, a loud cough came from in front of them, making Amy jump back guiltily. Mark had no such problem, merely looking up at Glenn with a frustrated smile. "Can we help you?" 

Glenn grinned. "Much as I hate to break things up, I think these ladies are here to do some work. Shall we let them do it?" 

Mark stood up and studied Glenn's face, unable to help laughing. "Sure. You think your fans will like that particular shade of pink?" 

"What?" 

Mark pointed to Glenn's mouth where a smudge of bright pink lipstick could clearly be seen and the younger man quickly wiped it off, glancing over at Tammy who looked as if she wished the floor would open up and swallow her. 

Amy stood up and unrolled her tape measure, calling Tammy over and hoping to make the older girl feel more at ease by getting on with their job. 

"Okay, so...er...where do I start?" she asked, looking up and down Mark's huge body and wondering if she would actually have the nerve to do this. Not that Mark seemed to mind, he was standing with his arms folded across his impressive chest and his legs planted apart, staring at her with amusement. 

Tammy moved to kneel in front of Glenn, placing one end of the tape measure on his outside ankle. "Just do what I do and note down the measurements, okay?" 

Amy nodded and copied Tammy, running the tape up the outside of Marks leg to his waist and then jotting down the reading. Then came the inside leg and Amy watched Tammy carefully, blushing when she saw how her hand actually brushed up between Glenn's legs, even though the contact was impersonal. She glanced up at Mark and his mouth was twitching as he tried not to laugh at her expression. "Not up to it, Scarlet?" he said mockingly. 

"Yes, are you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, running the tape firmly up the inside of his leg until she got to the crease where his thigh met his body. She quickly jotted down the measurement and moved her hand away, glad that this part was over. She couldn't help but notice the changed contours of his body and her eyes shot to his. "If I wasn't up for it before, li'l girl, I sure as hell am now," he grumbled, not in the least bit ashamed of how his body had reacted. 

Amy didn't say a word, her face so red by now that it almost hurt. She continued taking measurements, making him hold his arms out straight at shoulder height so she could do his chest and waist. When it came to his arms she had to stand on the settee behind him so she could reach properly, and she swatted his head when she heard him chuckling. 

He turned around when she had finished. "Need some help down from your high perch, tiny?" He didn't give her time to answer, merely grabbed her around the waist, his large hands nearly spanning it entirely, and lifted her down to stand in front of him. 

"Tiny, Scarlet, Peaches...I don't know what I'm supposed to call you!" Glenn said, grinning stupidly down at her as he walked towards them. 

"You can call her Miss Travis," Mark growled at him, making him smile even more. 

"I think I'd prefer to call her Amy," Glenn said, his eyes glinting wickedly as he wound Mark up. 

"You'd probably prefer to keep your head where it is too, wouldn't you?" 

Glenn held his hands up. "Whoa, okay, message received loud and clear. I don't think Vince would appreciate having to put a new door in just yet, do you? Anyway, I have other fish to fry," he murmured, his eyes darting to where Tammy stood scribbling in her pad. 

"What a romantic way to put it. Now get lost, I want to talk to _Miss Travis_ here," Mark said, drawing Amy towards him and away from the other two. When they were on the other side of the room he smoothed her hair away from her face, his hand possessive. "I hope you don't think Glenn's good looking?" 

Amy stared into Marks eyes for a second and then looked over at Glenn, making it look like she was admiring him. "He's not bad, I suppose. Why?" 

"Uh-uh. Wrong answer. You _don't _think Glenn's good looking." he said, his words more of an order. 

"I don't?" 

He grinned at her bemused expression. "Nope. You only go for guys with dark green eyes and red hair. And tattoos. Tall men." 

"I do? Do I know anyone that fits that description then?" she said, glancing around the room. 

Mark leered down at her. "You sure do. Open those pretty eyes wide and look up." 

She did, looking at the ceiling. "Nope, there's no-one up there. Ah well, if I can't find someone fitting that description, I guess I'll have to look for someone else." 

He reached out a hand and held her face up to his. "Don't even think about it." His fingers caressed her cheek gently, his eyes boring into hers until she couldn't drag her own eyes away from his hypnotic gaze. He frowned suddenly. "I'm gonna miss you." 

"You are?" 

He nodded. "Yeah, sounds crazy right? I've known you for what? Three days, four? And yet I feel as if I've known you for years, and I'm gonna miss you over the next couple of weeks. You must think I'm a psycho." 

Amy shook her head. "I don't think you're crazy. I feel exactly the same way, as if I've always known you. Except I don't actually know anything about you, not really." 

He tilted his head to one side. "And I suppose you have a lot of questions you want to ask me, right? Well, if you're good, maybe I'll let you ask me some questions tonight." 

"Really? You won't mind? I mean, I don't want to poke my nose in or anything," she said, glad that he was willing to open up about all the gossip, but worried that he might think her a busybody. 

"I don't mind with you, but I might not answer all your questions. I guess it all depends what you ask me, doesn't it?" He gave her an easy smile and glanced across at Tammy who was standing waiting for Amy. "I think your work here is done, Scarlet. I'll come and find you at two o'clock and we'll go shopping. We could even catch a matinee movie before we have dinner?" 

Amy stared at him silently for a few seconds, a small smile curving her mouth. "You're really nice, do you know that?" Mark looked almost uncomfortable with the compliment and Amy laughed softly. "I don't suppose that goes well with your mean image does it?" 

"Not really, no," he grumbled, fighting a smile. "But I guess it's okay as long as you don't go blabbing it to everyone you meet." 

"Don't you like being called nice?" 

"I wouldn't know, no-one's ever said it to me before. I guess it feels okay, coming from you. You have more reason than most to think that most men aren't nice," Mark said, not thinking of what he was giving away. 

Amy went completely still. "How would you know...Vince wouldn't have told you, he..." she shook her head and pulled back from him. 

"He didn't tell me, I guessed. Then I asked for details, but he didn't tell me much." He stared at her steadily for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Maybe we can both discover some more about one another. I don't suppose either story is very nice, and neither of us seem comfortable with them, do we?" 

Amy shook her head. "No-one knows about my life before I came here. I don't know...I'm not sure if I want to talk about it." 

"Sometimes it helps," Mark pointed out. 

She stared up at him and raised her eyebrows. "Really? How often have you spoken about your past?" 

"OK, fair enough. I haven't. But I've heard that it helps. So will you help me by listening?" he asked, reaching out to take her hand, absently stroking her fingers. 

How could she possibly refuse when he looked at her like that? she wondered, smiling involuntarily at the little boy lost look he was using. Ridiculous that a man of nearly seven foot could look so helpless. "Okay." 

"Good. I'll see you at two," he said, losing the lost look and grinning triumphantly. The small goodbye kiss he pressed on her mouth stopped her from saying anything about his playacting and she soon found herself ushered out of the room and the door closing behind her. 

Tammy stared at her with her mouth hanging open. "Oh my God. Oh my God!" 

"What?" 

"He was kissing you and...holding your hand...and...God, you looked like a couple and you've only just met!" 

"I know," Amy said, starting to walk along next to the other girl, smiling softly as she thought of how nice Mark was. "I feel like I've known him forever."  
"Love at first sight," Tammy said knowledgeably, nodding her head. "They say that's exactly how it feels." 

"Really? But I didn't...you know...fancy him when we met the other day. I was scared of him to be honest." 

"I bet that didn't last long though did it? I bet you were soon chatting away and gazing into each other's eyes!" Tammy said, grinning and rolling her eyes. 

"Huh, you can talk! Your lipstick's still smudged and I noticed that Glenn was wearing most of it!" 

Now it was Tammy's turn to blush, but she smiled even as the colour swept across her cheeks. "Guilty as charged. I can't believe he actually kissed me. I didn't expect that at all, so if I look a little shell shocked you'll have to forgive me." 

"Did he ask you out?" 

"Yes, as a matter of fact. He asked me to go to dinner tonight and I accepted, but now I feel so nervous that I swear I'll be sick the moment he picks me up." 

"Mark asked me to dinner, too. He said we'd be eating at the hotel." 

"Hopefully that'll be where Glenn wants to eat, so that when I run out of things to say to him, you two can sit with us and keep the conversation flowing!" 

Amy laughed. "I doubt you'll have any problems, but it would be nice to sit with you if you really wouldn't mind." 

"I would love it. But Mark might not, so maybe you'd better wait to make plans until you see him later." 

"You're right. He's taking me shopping to get something nice to wear this afternoon, and he said we'd see a film too." 

"Sounds to me like he's smitten. I haven't seen him pay this much attention to a woman, not ever." Tammy grinned at Amy as they reached the wardrobe room. "Well, enough talk about luscious men, we have work to do!" 

The day rushed by with Tammy showing her all sorts of things she would be expected to do, and Amy thoroughly loved it. Before she knew it, two o'clock had come round and the door flew open to reveal Mark standing there, dressed in snug jeans and a black shirt. 

Amy glanced up from the bundle of cloth she was stitching, surprised at how so many hours could have just disappeared, and her eyes ran over him, her mouth watering at how sexy he looked. 

"Well?" Mark said, raising one eyebrow at her confused look. "What are we waiting for?" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't really notice the time." Amy looked around her at the mess she had made. "I'll just clear up a bit and I'll be right with you." 

"You mean I have to _wait_? I hate waiting!" Mark grumbled, walking into the room and throwing himself down into a chair. 

Amy looked at him and smiled at his petulant expression. "You could always help, you know?" 

He gave her an outraged look and stuck his chin out. "I have been working all day, darlin', throwing people around. It can be exhausting. I really don't think I have enough energy to pick up all those heavy piles of clothing!" 

Amy continued clearing her work things away, nodding her head. "I can see how that would be exhausting. For you, anyway." 

"Well, I'm sure glad you understand how hard this can all be and...what do you mean, for me?" Mark asked, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes on her suddenly innocent face. 

"Oh...nothing," she mumbled, still smiling as she carried a basket of work to the cupboard. When she turned back from it she jumped, Mark had moved silently and was standing directly behind her. 

"Nothing? Are you sure?" 

"Well, I only meant, you know, that you...er...obviously work harder than anyone else here and that you would then feel much more tired than anyone else," Amy said, trying to keep a straight face as he leaned down and studied her eyes. 

"You're lying," he said, nodding his head with certainty. "You better start telling me the truth darlin', or you're in a whole heap of trouble." 

"Do you think you can take the truth?" 

"Do you think you can take what'll happen if you don't tell me?" Mark countered, smiling wickedly at her. 

"What will you do?" 

"Now there's a leading question," he murmured, eyeing her body. "I think I'll begin by seeing exactly how ticklish you are. If I remember correctly, I was gonna do that the other day and I got kinda distracted." 

"You can't tickle me," Amy said, biting her lip. 

"I can't? You better start talking then," Mark said, planting one hand either side of head against the cupboard so she was trapped. 

"Okay. I meant that someone of your advanced years would probably get tired far quicker than all the _much_, _much_ younger wrestlers." She gave him a smug grin as she finished, waiting for him to explode. 

"You're calling me old?" he asked, frowning and not looking at all amused. 

Amy stopped smiling and just stared at him, wondering if she'd really insulted him. She hadn't meant to. "No...I...sorry." 

Mark dropped his arms away and stepped back. "You think I'm old. You think I'm too old for you." 

"No! No, I didn't mean anything by it, I was joking!" Amy said, moving forward and grabbing his arms, her eyes wide as she felt guilt flood through her. She had hurt his feelings. Her eyes fell away from his stern face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." 

"How sorry?" 

Her eyes shot upwards again and she noticed the amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. "You fake!" 

"There you go again, insulting me!" 

She smacked his arm. "I thought I'd hurt your feelings, you big oaf!" 

"Oaf? Fake? Old? Anything else? Be careful what you say, or I won't buy you a nice dress!" 

"Hunk? Devilishly handsome? A fine specimen of manhood?" she ventured, smiling at him in a winning way. 

"Gold-digger!" he said, shaking his head in mock disgust. 

"Gold...! I am not! You offered! Well, fine, I'll buy my own dress, I have some money you know! Gold-digger indeed!" she muttered, stalking out of the room once she'd grabbed her purse. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven 

Mark grinned as he followed her, marvelling at how she'd changed in just a few days. He knew exactly where he was going to take her and, unless he missed his guess, there was no way on earth she would be able to afford the price tag on the designer dresses. Still, it would be enjoyable watching her face, especially when he paid for it without batting an eyelash. She was anything but a gold-digger, and he knew it, having been out with a few of them in his time. He found it enjoyable teasing her because she was so easy to get a rise out of. 

A short while later he pulled up outside a row of exclusive boutiques, nodding to the doorman nearest to them as he exited the car. 

Amy stared at the shop they were directly outside of and her mouth fell open, especially when she saw that he obviously knew the doorman. "You know him?" 

"Sure," Mark said easily. 

"But this place is...well it's so..." 

"Exclusive? Elegant?" 

"Actually I was going to say expensive," she admitted, grimacing. 

"I guess it is, but I ain't poor honey, in case you hadn't guessed. Why? Do you think I don't know how to dress properly?" He arched an eyebrow down at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. 

"No! I mean, of course you can dress properly, you looked very nice last night. I just wouldn't have thought that a place like this would be your cup of tea." 

"My cup of tea? That's a nice quaint English saying. As a matter of fact, the suit I wore last night came from here, so it should have looked good. But we're not here for me today," he said, placing one large hand in the small of her back to guide her inside the plush store. "Today we're gonna find you something stunning to wear." 

Amy remembered what she had said about being able to pay for her own dress and swallowed the sudden dryness in her throat. How could she get out of this without letting him know she couldn't afford a dress from here, at least not without a lot of help. Nor would she feel comfortable accepting a dress from him, not with the sort of price tag the label must carry, she thought as she tried not to look awkward or gauche in front of the elegant staff. 

Surprisingly the two female staff members who walked forward to greet them didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all. They asked what it was she was looking for and she was about to say that she wasn't sure when Mark told them she needed a classic little black dress for evening wear, together with everything that went with it. The women sat them both down and instantly went off to select some dresses for them to look at. 

Amy glanced around nervously and then realised Mark was staring at her, a small smile playing around his firm lips. "What?" she asked quietly. 

He shook his head, the smile getting a little wider. "Nothing. Just looking." 

"Oh," Amy said, frowning. Looking at what? she wondered, although she didn't voice the question. Her eyes flitted about for another second, before they settled back on his face. Now would be the perfect time to tell him she couldn't afford these sort of clothes, and she took a deep breath to begin. "Mark, I er...well...couldn't we go and shop somewhere else?" 

Mark studied her carefully, noting how nervous she seemed to be in these surroundings, and he felt his smile get even wider. "Now why would I want to do that darlin'? Don't you like the clothes in here?" 

"They're lovely, but they're so expensive. I can't...I can't really afford anything from here. I'd feel more comfortable somewhere else, really." 

"You haven't got any reason to feel uncomfortable here, and I'm well aware that you can't afford these clothes. That doesn't mean I can't afford them and I want to buy you something nice to wear. Is that a problem?" 

"I guess not, I just...I'm not sure I'd feel right accepting..." 

"Stop right there. I don't know what you think my motives are, but I'm not expecting anything in return, okay?" 

"Oh, I didn't think...I just didn't want you to waste your money, I didn't think you'd want anything in return!" 

"And if I had?" Mark said, wondering what she would have done if he had expected her to share his bed. 

"Then I couldn't accept the dress...or anything else." She surprised herself at how strongly she managed to say those words, but she meant them. There was no way she would accept anything at all from him if he expected favours from her in bed. She frowned. "You don't, do you?" 

"What? Want anything in return?" Mark pursed his lips as though thinking. "I might want something, is that a problem?" 

Amy wished she was better at gauging his expression, because she couldn't tell whether he was being serious or not, but her heart starting sinking just the same. "No. No it's not a problem," she said quietly, standing up suddenly and walking out of the shop before he could stop her. 

"Oh, shit," Mark muttered as he watched her walk away. He hadn't been serious, but she didn't know him well enough yet to know that and now he felt awful because she looked quite upset. He stood up and followed her outside, finding her marching briskly down the street away from the store, her head down. Her short legs were no match for his and he caught her up in seconds, gently taking her arm and stopping her progress. 

"Hey," he said softly, bending slightly to get a look at her face. He cursed himself again when he saw tears in her eyes, although she looked angry not upset at the moment. "I didn't mean it, I was just kidding." 

When she didn't say anything he got down on his knees in front of her and stared into her face. "I'm sorry. I forgot that you're not used to my sense of humour, I would never have hurt you, honey, or expected anything at all from you....except maybe a kiss. Am I forgiven?" 

Amy stared into the eyes of the big handsome man who was kneeling in front of her and tried not to smile at how ridiculous he looked, but it was a losing battle. She saw his eyes light up as her mouth curved and she nodded. "Yes, you're forgiven, but you haven't really done anything. I'm just being dumb." 

He stood up and took her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her smooth knuckles. "No you're not, I am. You didn't feel comfortable in that store and it didn't all have to do with the fact that you couldn't afford one of the dresses there, did it?" When she shook her head he continued, "You'd feel more at home in a regular store wouldn't you? Even a bargain one? And you'd probably rather eat at a burger joint than some fancy restaurant, am I right?" 

"Well, yes," she admitted, shrugging. 

Mark grinned at her. "Then why didn't you say so? I love burgers and I would much rather wear nice ordinary clothes than some suit, even if I do look absolutely fantastic in one!" 

"Big head," she muttered, smirking at him and relaxing finally because she now knew he had similar tastes to her own. 

"Yeah, but I'm also telling the truth. I do look fantastic in a suit, don't I?" 

"You looked okay I suppose," Amy said, shrugging. "Nothing special." 

"Nothin' special? You must need your eyes testing! I am one great specimen of manhood, as you said before, and I'll have you know that you are extremely fortunate to have me for a date!" Mark said, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at her, his mouth twitching. 

"If you say so," she said, starting to walk back to where the car was parked. When she realised Mark wasn't next to her she turned to see what he was doing. He was standing exactly where she had left him with his arms still folded, giving her his deadliest glare, a glare that was ruined slightly by the curve to his lips. Amy walked slowly back to him and stood in front of him, gazing the long way up into his eyes. 

"What?" she asked in a long suffering tone. 

"What do you mean 'what'? You know what. We're not going anywhere until you tell me how good I look in a suit and how wonderful it is to date me!" he said, raising one eyebrow and looking impossibly arrogant. 

"If I told you those things your head would get even bigger, so I won't," she replied, matching his pose and giving him a smug smile. 

"Is that right? You sure you about that? I can be real persuasive, you know." 

"I just bet you can. Still, I'm not saying it and you can't make me," she said recklessly, then instantly regretted it when an unholy light entered his eyes. 

"Can't I?" he asked, moving a step closer and smiling wickedly at her. 

"Well, okay...er...maybe you could," she said, about to take a backwards step. But his hands shot out and grabbed her, lifting her up until her eyes were level with his. 

"Only maybe?" he enquired, holding her in front of him. 

Amy looked around and noticed that they were beginning to attract attention, what with them standing in the middle of the sidewalk so people had to walk around them to get past. "People are looking!" she whispered, her wide eyes shooting to his. 

"They'll be looking even more in a second," he murmured, pulling her against him so she could balance herself with her hands on his shoulders while his arms went around her. 

"What are you doing?" she gasped, a blush creeping into her face. 

"Persuading you to my way of thinking," he said, leaning forward and fusing his mouth to hers before she could say anything else. He watched her eyes close almost instantly as his lips teased hers and allowed his own eyes to drift closed, savouring the feel of her soft mouth under his. He expertly opened her mouth so his tongue could have access and deepened the kiss until he had to stop so he could breathe. His head drew back and watched as her eyes very slowly opened, staring at him in bewilderment. 

"Have you been properly persuaded yet?" he asked, his voice very deep and husky. 

"Persuaded?" she croaked out, trying to remember what they had been talking about. Her mind was a blank when he kissed her. 

"Hmm. You have something to tell me," he said, not putting her down, enjoying the feel of her small body against his. 

"I do?" she asked, staring at his mouth and wondering if he'd kiss her again. 

Mark saw the look and bit off a groan. "You keep looking at me like that and we're gonna be doing more than kissing in front of all these people, sweetheart. Tell me what I want to hear. Am I a great date or what?" 

Amy came back down to earth enough to realise what he was talking about and she debated whether to deny him or not. She liked the persuasion. 

"Or what," she whispered, looking hopefully at his mouth again, totally unashamed. 

"Hussy," Mark whispered, taking her mouth again only harder this time, wondering if he'd ever get enough of it. When he stopped he could feel her shaking and see the desire in her eyes. "Tell me." 

"You looked incredibly handsome in your suit. You'd look handsome in anything, and you look really sexy in jeans," she said obligingly, hanging limply against him. 

His eyes lit up at her words. "Sexy huh? And am I a great date?" 

Amy smiled and looked innocently at him. "Yes, you're a very great date, very old indeed." 

He couldn't help but smile. "I didn't mean it like that. Want me to use a little more persuasion? I'd really love to but we're getting a bit of an audience now." 

Amy looked behind them to where he indicated and saw a couple of teenagers nudging each other and laughing. She went red to the roots of her hair and hid her face in his neck, feeling his chest rumble as he chuckled. 

"Want to tell me what I want to hear now? Or shall we give them a show?" he asked, teasing her, delighted that she was clinging to him for protection. 

"You're the best date in the world," she mumbled into his shoulder. 

"Now, honey, you ain't just saying that because you're embarrassed are you? That'd hurt my feelings, you know," he said, nudging her face away from his shoulder with his chin. 

She looked up and saw, behind the teasing, that he really wanted to know. She couldn't believe that he was insecure in any way, and her eyes softened as she looked at him. "I really mean it. You're the most handsome man I've ever met, and yet you look dangerous and that worried me at first. But you're so nice to me, so gentle really. I couldn't imagine anyone else being such a wonderful date." 

Mark felt his face heat at her words, unused to being complimented. "I ain't that nice honey." 

"Maybe not to other people, but you are to me. You make me feel...I don't know...I guess you make me feel safe," she said, looking serious now. "I've never really known what that feels like before." 

Mark stared at her for a few seconds, stunned that he could have made her feel all this in the short time he had known her. He felt himself heat up and he pulled her into a tight embrace, nuzzling her neck. "I'm glad honey. You'll never feel anything else with me, I promise. I'll always be the perfect gentleman." 

"Thank you," she whispered, smiling against his shoulder. "You are going to kiss me again though aren't you?" 

"Believe me sweetheart, I ain't gonna be _that_ much of a gentleman! I like kissing you too much, and I guess you feel the same huh?" he asked, raising one eyebrow at her instant nod. "Well, we certainly can't stay here and do it, not unless you want to be stared at again?" 

He chuckled at her blush and put her down on her feet, taking her hand and strolling casually back to his car. 

Amy found herself almost running to keep up with him and he glanced at her with amusement before slowing down. "You're a midget, y'know," he remarked, grinning as they reached the car and she swatted his arm. He rubbed his bicep and frowned. "But you sure as hell pack a punch." 

"As if it hurt!" Amy scoffed as he handed her into the car, still trying to regain her composure after his kisses. She watched him as he folded his enormous body into the drivers' seat and turned to look at her, his eyes sparkling when he saw how she was studying him. 

"You're gonna have to wait," he said, smiling slyly as he started the car. 

"Wait? For what?" she asked, confused because she couldn't remember asking for anything. 

"To ravish me. I know you want to, but I can't let you do things like that to me in a public place, it's illegal. Maybe after I've known you for a couple of months, who knows?" He grinned at her, moving the car out into the traffic and heading towards Vince's rented house. 

"Ravish you?" Amy asked, her eyes wide. 

"Mmm-hmm. Although it's very tempting, of course, I have to think of my reputation. What would the other wrestlers think of me if I let you have your way with me? My name would be mud." 

Amy tried not to laugh and failed, earning a stern look from Mark before he turned his attention back to the road. "It's not funny! I'd never be able to hold my head up in public again, plus you'd lose all respect for me once you'd had your wicked way with me!" 

"And you wouldn't let me?" she asked, tongue in cheek. 

"Well...maybe..." he said hesitantly, then made a show of gritting his teeth and shaking his head. "No! No, I wouldn't. Stop trying to tempt me, ya little hussy!" 

Amy grinned at him. "Aw, and I was going to have so much fun, too!" she said, shrugging and turning away, watching as they drove past the gates to the house. 

Mark stopped the car and turned to her, leaning casually back against the door until she looked at him. "What?" she asked, looking at him suspiciously. 

"You were gonna have fun huh? What sort of fun? What did you have planned then?" 

"Nothing you need to know about. At least, not anymore, you said you wouldn't let me!" she said, trying for a nonchalant look. "I couldn't possibly tell you all my secret plans now." 

Mark grabbed her chin and pulled her towards him. "Try," he said softly, giving her a look that could have melted steel. He watched as she swallowed and her eyes grew wider. "Tell me how you'd seduce me Amber," he said, using her full name for the first time. 

"I...I wouldn't...know where to begin," she said haltingly, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"Sure you would," he said, taking her hands and drawing them onto his chest. "You could start here, then you could just let your hands do their own thing. Maybe this'll help," he said, flicking open a couple of buttons on his shirt so she could have free access to his skin. He pulled one of her hands just inside the opening and then let go of her wrist, letting her do what she wanted. She hesitated at first, but she couldn't drag her eyes or her hand away from his chest and she ran her fingers over the huge pad of muscle, glancing up curiously when he tensed at her exploration. 

"It's okay," he said softly, settling back against the door more comfortably. 

She swallowed and looked back at his chest, moving her other hand up so she could run them across the breadth of his torso, feeling each muscle as she did so. She had never touched a man like this before and she was curious about how they felt, curious to find all the differences, and she took full advantage of Mark's supine state. 

He found himself smiling indulgently as he watched her explore everything above the waist, but her hands never went below his belt and he found it amusing. Most women he had been with had been the ones to initiate any moves, usually going straight for the gold instead of anything else. Amy was entirely different, mainly because she had no idea what to do, but he liked the fact that she was innocent, that he'd be the first one to show her anything intimate. Her shy fingers were incredibly arousing, especially when she discovered a flat nipple and toyed with it for a while, watching with wonder when it hardened. His muscles tensed every time she stroked down over his stomach and he wondered how long he could hold out before he grabbed her hands and put them where he wanted them. He knew he couldn't, that it would probably freak her out, but it wasn't like he could hide what she did to him, it was too obvious. 

Eventually she noticed his reaction and stared at the large bulge in his pants with her mouth hanging open. "Oh," she said, her eyes shooting up to his. 

"Well don't look so shocked, you made it like that," Mark said, his lips curling at her red face. 

"I did?" she said, her eyes briefly dropping again. 

"Yeah, you sure did. Still, it ain't like we can do anything about it here, so we'll just ignore it okay?" he said with deathbed humour. 

Amy bit her lip and tried to look away from his body, managing it with some difficulty. She opened her mouth to ask him a question and then thought better of it, clearing her throat and looking at anything but him. 

"What's up, honey? You want to ask me something?" Mark asked, drawing her against him and groaning when her body pressed over his aroused flesh. 

"Oh, sorry..." she mumbled, trying to draw away from him. 

"Don't you move," he said, smiling at her. "You don't want to make it worse do you?" His smile grew wider when she frantically shook her head. "What did you want to ask?" 

"I...er...nothing, it doesn't matter," she said, still red-faced. 

"You can ask me anything, you know. No matter how rude," he grinned at her. 

"Does it...er...does it hurt?" she mumbled, glancing down just once to let him know what she meant. 

"Sort of. It aches. You've never felt that way have you?" he asked, staring into her clear green eyes. 

"I don't think so," she said honestly, "except when you kiss me, sometimes it feels...odd." 

Mark brightened and a grin spread slowly across his face. "Odd huh? In what way?" 

Amy frowned. "I'm not sure. Just...odd. I feel sort of hot and swollen..." 

"Mmm-hmm. I feel sort of hot and swollen too," he murmured wickedly, laughing when she looked at him in shock. "What?" he asked innocently. 

"You're rude," she said, her face relaxing in a smile even though she still felt her cheeks burning. 

"Yeah, that I am, and you'd better get used to it, because I get a whole lot worse than this," he said, a big grin still on his face. He quickly fastened his shirt and then smoothed her dishevelled hair with one big hand. "Come on, we'd better get you inside before I do something very unwise in this car. Hell, it isn't even big enough for what I have in mind anyway!" 

"It isn't?" she asked, looking at the size of the car and then at the size of him. "Oh, I guess it isn't," she mumbled, her mind bringing up all sorts of informative images for her. 

"You guess right," he said, smiling at her, his eyes flicking to beyond her shoulder briefly and then looking at her again. "Plus the fact that your godfather just pulled up behind us and is standing beside your window looking like he wants to kill me. I suppose we'd better try and look like we haven't been doing anything steamy, huh?" 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve 

Amy shot upright in her seat and risked a look out of the window, seeing Vince standing there looking grim and narrow-eyed. He raised an eyebrow when she went bright red and pointed one finger to the ground in front of him, indicating that he wanted her standing there right now. 

Amy gulped and reached for the door handle, looking at Mark in confusion when he grabbed her hand and stopped her. "What did I tell you before? You just wait there," he said, his eyes twinkling as he got out of the car and strode around to her side, not looking intimidated at all by Vince glaring at him. 

He opened her door and took her hand to pull her out, sliding his arm around her shoulders when she stood in front of Vince. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Vince asked them both, his voice surprisingly calm. 

"Nothing," Amy said, her voice really quiet. 

"Nothing? It didn't look like nothing. Care to explain yourselves?" he said, glaring at Mark. 

Mark grinned at him. "Nope." He watched as Vince's face got even angrier. 

"What the hell makes you think you can bring her back here and make out in the car, where anyone can see you?" he said, his voice loud now. 

Amy was so embarrassed she wanted to sink through the floor and she couldn't speak. Mark had no such problem. "What the hell gives you the right to question what we do?" 

"She's my goddaughter! I have every right to want to protect her!" 

"Protect her from what? Me?" Mark yelled back, angry at the way Vince seemed to want to interfere between the two of them. 

"Yes, from you! She doesn't know what you're really like, I do, and I will not allow you to treat her in that way!" 

Amy was staring open-mouthed as the two men shouted at each other, her face paling at their obvious anger. 

"How the hell do you think you're gonna stop me?" Mark asked him, laughing incredulously as he sized the other man up. 

"I don't have to stop you, I'll stop her. She can't see you anymore, how's that?" 

Neither of the men had even looked at her since they started shouting, so they didn't see her reaction to their words. She was shaking by this point, hating herself for her own cowardice, but scared to death of angry men and with good reason. She didn't notice Linda coming out of the house, hadn't even realised that the older woman was inside, she just stood there shaking as Linda approached her and put her arm around her shoulders, her face a picture of concern. 

"Stop it, both of you. Can't you see what you're doing?" Linda said to them sharply and they both stopped and turned to the two women, instantly calming down when they saw the fear on Amy's face. 

"Oh God, I'm sorry honey," Mark said, taking a step towards her that she backed away from, an action that shocked him. 

"I didn't mean to start a shouting match, I just worry about you..." Vince said, trying to explain himself. 

Amy swallowed and took a deep breath, realising how stupid she must seem to all of them. "It's okay," she whispered, talking to Vince but looking at Mark, because he looked sick at having scared her in any way. 

"Amy," Mark said, looking uncertain of his next move. Amy put her hand on his arm. "It's okay," she repeated, trying and failing to give him a smile and then turning and walking into the house, needing a few minutes alone to calm down. 

Linda followed behind her quickly, glaring at her husband and Mark as she left them. When she got in the house she found Amy standing in the kitchen, leaning on the counter. "You okay sweetie?" 

Amy grimaced. "I'm okay, it just freaked me out a bit. I'm such a coward, God they must think I'm dumb." She shook her head and took a deep breath, calming down even as she thought about what had happened. 

"They won't think that," Linda assured her, filling the coffee pot as she spoke. "Maybe it'll teach Vince not to stick his nose in where you're concerned." 

"I don't think he likes Mark," Amy mused, chewing her lip. 

"He likes him well enough, but he doesn't think anyone's good enough for you, that's all. He was that way with Steph too before she put her foot down," Linda replied, thinking about how much her daughters temper matched her husbands. "All you have to do is show Vince that you won't have him interfering in your life. He'll soon back off." 

"Oh, I couldn't! He's not really interfering...it's...sort of nice having someone worry about me," she said, shrugging. 

"Sort of nice huh? So you going to give Mark his marching orders to please Vince?" 

Amy frowned at that thought, then smiled wryly. "I wouldn't want to, I...I really like him. I don't think I'll have to anyway. Mark probably thinks I'm a nut by now," she said quietly, wondering if he had gone home. 

"I don't think you're a nut," a deep voice said from behind her and Amy swung around to look at him. "But I do think I'm an asshole." Amy blushed at his words and he gave her a smirk. 

"I thought you'd be gone by now," she admitted, vaguely aware of Vince creeping into the room. 

"Why would I do that?" 

"Because of what Vince said..." she tailed off and looked at her godfather. He rolled his eyes and tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. 

"I didn't mean what I said, I just didn't expect to come home and get a show in the front drive," he said wryly, giving her a knowing look. 

Mark laughed as she blushed. "All we did was kiss," he pointed out to Vince. 

"Yeah, right," Vince shot right back, smiling at Mark as he calmed down. "And your hands were on her shoulders right?" 

"Thereabouts," Mark said and sent Amy a wicked grin which made her blush deepen even more. "God you're beautiful," he murmured as he moved closer to her. Her eyes shot up to his and just stared at him, amazed that he would ever say that, let alone in front of the others. 

He lifted his hand and held her chin in a firm grasp, his other arm going around her shoulders to draw her slowly against him. 

Vince looked from one of them to the other and chewed his lip thoughtfully, thinking that he hadn't seen Mark so serious about someone since he had been married. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having him and Amy together after all, she sure changed when she was around him. He looked down as Linda grabbed his arm, smiling as she ushered him out of the room so they could leave the younger couple alone. "Are you going to let her live her own life?" Linda whispered as they closed the door. 

"I am letting her live her own life," Vince said, frowning. 

"No you're not. One minute you say you like Mark being in her life, the next you're threatening him and her. I told you before to make your mind up, but you seem incapable of doing that." Linda stared at him and patted his arm. "Don't worry about her so much. Leave her alone and let her do what she needs to do and stop interfering." 

"Easy to say," Vince murmured, looking thoughtful. 

"Easy to do as well," Linda replied, leading him along the hallway to the main sitting room. 

"What if he hurts her, you know what he's been like over the last few months." 

"Then we'll be here for her," she replied. "But honestly, I don't think he's going to hurt her, he looks completely smitten to me. We'll take her home with us and then see how they get on being apart. I have a feeling Mark will miss her more than he knows!" 

Back in the kitchen Mark bent and planted a quick kiss on Amy's lips, intending to just draw back and then send her off to change so she was ready to go out. But as soon as his mouth made contact with hers he couldn't pull away and deepened the kiss, picking her up and wrapping her in a bear hug. When he finally stopped kissing her she was hanging limply against him, her mouth swollen and her eyes drowsy. "Wow," she croaked. 

"Yeah, wow," he echoed, smiling at her. "You do that really well you know." 

"I do?" she asked, staring at his mouth again. 

"Oh, yeah, you sure do. And you can get that look off your face, girl, you ain't having it again, not yet," he said, grinning wickedly at her. "Go on and get ready to go out, if you want to change. If you don't, well hell honey, you look gorgeous as you are and we ain't doing nothing but bowling." 

Amy looked down at her jeans and T-shirt, chewing her lip. It didn't matter what Mark might say, she wanted to look a little nicer for him and she wasn't comfortable in the shirt so she rushed away to change. She chose a pair of black jeans and a dark green top with a v-neck, staring at her reflection critically. Not too bad, she thought, she at least looked decent in them. She brushed out her hair and then started braiding it so it wouldn't get in her way, making it into a French braid which took her longer than she had anticipated. A small touch of make up that Linda had bought her emphasised her large eyes and full lips and she sighed at herself. Okay, she thought, you don't really ever look any better than that. 

Linda knocked and walked into the room just as Amy stood up from the dressing table, ready to join Mark and start their evening. 

"Oh, you look lovely, Amy. But you know, there's something missing. Well, two things actually, but I think Mark's going to take care of one of them," Linda said, smiling innocently. She held up a bottle of perfume and beckoned Amy to come closer, giving her a quick spray on the neck and wrists. "There, all set. He'll love that scent." 

"It does smell nice," Amy said, taking in the delicate floral fragrance. 

"It should, it cost a fortune. Now, go on downstairs. Mark's in the study with Vince." 

"They're not arguing again are they?"  
"No, they're sharing a beer. Typical men, blow up then have a beer together like nothing ever happened. No wonder they can't understand it when we get in a mood for hours!" Linda shook her head and pushed Amy out of the room. 

When she got down to the study and walked into the room, the expression on Mark's face when he saw her made her glad she had neatened herself up. His eyebrows rose up and he got up out of the chair to stand towering over her, absently putting his beer on the desk. "You look real beautiful, darlin'," he drawled, holding his arm out in a gentlemanly fashion and pulling her hand into the crook of it. "You about ready to go?" 

She nodded and smiled at Vince as she was pulled out of the room. "Don't bring her back too late," Vince warned Mark as they left, his tone telling him that he may have realised their argument was stupid, but he would still be watching him. 

"Yeah, yeah," Mark muttered as he left the house, winking at Linda as they did so. 

Mark drove them to the local bowling alley, pulling into a parking spot and turning the engine off before turning to her, his eyes glittering. "You know, that was a waste of time," he said slowly, his eyes fixed on her mouth. 

"What was?" 

"Putting that lipstick on. It ain't gonna be on there very long."  
"It isn't? Are we eating first then?" she asked, wondering why he was staring at her so intently. 

"In a way," he murmured as he pulled her across the seat and onto his lap, his mouth coming down over hers so fast she didn't even have time to take a breath. 

When he had kissed her senseless, he pulled back and surveyed his handiwork. "See? All gone," he said, his voice deep and husky. 

Amy giggled, sounding breathless. "You're terrible." 

"Baby, you don't have any idea of how terrible just yet!" he said, leering at her. He got out of the car and then came around to get her out too, holding her in front of him. He reached a hand inside his jacket and pulled out a long velvet box, holding it under her nose expectantly. "What's that?" she asked. 

"It's for you. Go on, take it," he urged her, looking a little unsure of himself. 

"For me? But..." 

"Come on, take it. It's been burning a hole in my pocket all day," he said, smiling crookedly. 

"All day?" 

"Yeah, well, you know, I wanted to wait for the right time..." he nodded to the gift again and Amy took it from him, opening the lid slowly to gaze with astonishment at what lay within. Nestled amid the white satin interior was a gold necklace, a beautiful emerald teardrop pendant attached to it. "Oh my..." she said breathlessly, touching the jewellery with reverence. 

"Do you like it?" he asked her hesitantly, frowning. 

"It's beautiful. It's really for me?" she asked breathlessly, her wide eyes shooting up to his. 

He reached out one big hand and cupped her face in it, his thumb stroking her chin. "It's really for you. When I saw it in the store it made me think of your eyes and how good it would look on you. I couldn't resist." 

"But it's not my birthday or anything and it looks expensive..." 

"It doesn't have to be for any special occasion. I bought it because I wanted to see you wearing it, that's all, and I can afford it. It's worth it just to see you smile, too. Come on, let's put it on you," he said, taking the delicate chain out of it's box and turning her around so he could fasten it around her neck. He dropped a kiss on her shoulder and then turned her around, positioning the pendant so it hung in the v of her t shirt. "I knew it would look beautiful on you, sweetheart, and I wasn't wrong." 

Amy looked down at the glistening gem and couldn't get rid of the smile on her face or the slight mist of tears in her eyes. "It's so lovely, it's the nicest thing I've ever been given. Thank you so much," she said softly and then bit her lip, wondering how he would react if she just threw her arms around him. 

"Go ahead," he said, smiling broadly at her. 

"What?" 

"You know you want to hug me, so...go ahead," he invited bending down slightly, grinning when she giggled and then launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him as hard as she could, her feet leaving the floor as he straightened up with her still clinging to him. He groaned in mock pain and made strangled sounds which just made her laugh more, before he pulled her back enough so he could see her face. 

"Where's my kiss then?" he said, raising one eyebrow expectantly. 

"Oh, okay, if I absolutely have to," she mumbled, pressing her lips to his and kissing him as expertly as she was able. He put her down after a while and then took a deep breath, letting the air whistle out between his teeth. 

"Well, I suppose we'd better go inside and start enjoying our evening. Personally I'd enjoy it even more out here, but I guess people would stare." He gave another deep chuckle at how flustered she became whenever he said something even slightly outlandish, then he took her into the building. 

The place was only half full of people and they attracted a few stares from those who recognised Mark, but otherwise they were largely ignored, which he was thankful for. He didn't mind fans coming up and asking for autographs, but sometimes it was nice to just relax and be himself, something he could be with Amy. 

He booked a lane for two hours time and walked her into one of the bar/restaurants that thrived in this particular bowling alley and ordered them some burgers and a couple of drinks. Amy still had her hand in the crook of his arm after they had left the car because every now and then he put his hand over it, making sure she would stay there. She found it sweet that he obviously wanted to touch her and she had to admit that she loved being close to him. 

She found herself sitting next to him at a small corner booth and she smiled thankfully when their drinks arrived, hers being a coke. 

"I thought you'd prefer a coke to anything else," Mark said, seeing her smile. He had ordered himself a beer and he sat sipping it slowly, watching her as he did so. "It's a nice place isn't it?" 

Amy hadn't really taken much notice of their surroundings, and she quickly scanned the room before returning her gaze to him, her fingers fiddling with the pendant. She hadn't stopped touching it since he gave it to her, almost as if she couldn't believe it was real. "It's very nice," she replied, trying not to sound disinterested, because she was enjoying looking at him, not the restaurant. 

He seemed to know that, though, because he slowly started grinning. "Yeah, it is. You like the decor?" 

She nodded absently, thinking how handsome he looked when he smiled. 

"Really? That being the case, you'd be able to tell me what colour the carpet is without looking," he said, raising one eyebrow and grabbing her chin so she couldn't look down at the floor. 

"Er...it's green?" 

"Now, ya know, that's the colour of my eyes, and you've been staring at them for some time. But it ain't the colour of the carpet. Want to guess again?" 

Her eyes traced his face and he found his breathing starting to deepen at what her eyes were telling him. "Red," she said softly, looking at his hair. 

Mark stretched his arm across her shoulders and drew her right up against him, his head bending towards hers. "Wrong answer, now you have to pay the forfeit." 

"Forfeit?" she asked, her eyes dropping to his mouth. 

"Mmm-hmm, and it could take some time," he replied, kissing her softly, his eyes closing and his brows drawing together as he tasted her again. The sudden arrival of their meal made her jerk back from him in embarrassment, but he just smiled at her antics and thanked the waitress. "Well, I guess we'll have to continue that later on, won't we?" 

Amy blushed and tried to ignore him as she started eating, but she was aware of him watching her the whole way through the meal. 

He behaved himself for the rest of the time they were in the restaurant and eventually it was time to take their bowling alley. "I've never done this before," Amy admitted. "Is it hard?" 

"You're kidding me right? You've never been bowling?" he asked, looking and sounding amazed that she had never done this before. 

"Well, no. Is that a bad thing?" 

"No, honey, that ain't a bad thing, but your education is sadly lacking if this is the first time you've been in a bowling alley. Come on, we'll get you started!" 

He picked a bowling ball for her which she thought was incredibly heavy, until he told her to try lifting his one. "It's a joke one, isn't it? It's glued down!" she gasped, trying to lift it and then staring open-mouthed as he lifted it up as though it were made of cardboard. 

"Right, now watch what I do and then try and copy it okay?" he told her, and she watched carefully as he threw the ball down towards the pins, making them all scatter in one hit. 

It looked easy, she thought. But she found that all she could do was make it go in the gutter. After her fourth try she was getting frustrated and Mark laughed, earning a glare from her. "Whoa, okay, don't kill me with a deadly look! Here, let me help," he said, still laughing as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, making her stop breathing briefly at his proximity. "Hold the ball like this," he told her, his breath moving over her ear, his voice deepening as he pulled her back so she was flush against him. "Then swing back like this, then forward, move like this," he instructed, all the time moving her body in front of him and not letting an inch of space get between them. "Now just let go of the ball, like this," he continued, his hand linking with her fingers when the ball shot down the alley. 

"Hey, leave her alone you big pervert!" A deep voice came booming from behind them. 

Mark didn't even turn around, instead groaning in her ear. 

"Oh God, just when we were having fun," he murmured, chuckling when he looked at her flushed face. "Hey, Glenn," he said, turning around and taking her with him. 

Amy saw Glenn making his way towards them, his large hand wrapped possessively around Tammy's waist. The blonde girl was blushing but had a big smile on her face as she looked at Amy, moving away from Glenn so she could talk to her. 

"Hi! I'm so glad you're here," Tammy said in a quiet voice. "I thought you'd be at the hotel, that's where we had dinner." 

"I know, I thought we were going to eat there too, but Mark brought me here." Amy looked over at Glenn who was smiling and chatting to Mark. "You two seem to be getting along well." 

"Oh we are, he's so...nice, but..." she broke off and frowned. 

"What?" Amy asked, looking over at Glenn again and noticing that both men were looking in their direction. 

"Overwhelming! That's why I'm so glad you're here, we'll be able to break the tension a little bit. I get the feeling he wants to lock me in his hotel room and...you know..." she giggled. 

"Judging by the way he's looking at you, you could be right. But you know, if you don't want to do anything, you only have to say no." 

"That's just the problem. He keeps kissing me and when he does I can't even think straight, let alone speak. He could pretty much do anything he wants and I'd let him. I guess that makes me sound weak, huh?" Tammy grimaced. 

"Not really, I know exactly how you feel," Amy said, her eyes meeting Mark's and seeing his sparkle as they fixed on her, and her hand lifted to her gift again. "I'm not sure I could say no either." 

Tammy looked at Mark, looking at the way he was watching Amy. "I'm not sure he'd let you. What's that?" she asked, reaching out and lifting the pendant and chain to admire it. "It's lovely! Where did you get it?" 

"Mark gave it to me," Amy admitted, blushing with pleasure. 

"Really? I think someone's in love with you," Tammy said in a goofy sickly voice, laughing when Amy frowned at her. "Come on, let's have a drink and do some bowling. You don't mind if we join you, do you? I don't want to get in the way of anything." 

Amy smiled. "It's okay, I'd like you to join us, it'll be fun. You can watch how well I can throw the ball in the gutter. Mark was just trying to teach me how to do it properly when you came in." 

"Yeah, I noticed how well he was teaching you," Tammy said, laughing when Amy blushed. "God, we're as bad as each other. I know for a fact I won't have to wear any blusher for the next week or so, my cheeks are never going to be the right colour again!" 

"What are you two lovely ladies talking about?" Glenn said as he walked up behind them, one hand snaking around the back of Tammy's neck and tugging her closer to him. 

"Just...er...bowling," she said, staring the long way up at him as he put his other arm around her waist. 

"Oh yeah? Has Scarlet told you how good she is?" Mark said, pulling Amy back against his warm body. 

"At what?" Glenn asked, raising one eyebrow and giving Mark a mocking smile. 

"Lay off, buddy, or would you prefer to eat a bowling ball?" Mark returned, glaring at the younger man but smiling all the same. 

"Okay, fair enough," Glenn said, reaching for the ball Mark had been using. "I sort of like bowling with them, rather than eating them. So come on, who's going first? Me? OK then," he said, ignoring everyone and beginning the game, Tammy laughing as he completely messed up his shot, then squealing when he chased her to the seats to get retribution. 

They spent the next couple of hours joking about and laughing and Amy found herself coming more and more out of her shell. Mark was attentive and charming, ragging her a bit whenever she threw the ball in the gutter, but then going back to teaching her how to do it properly. She loved the feel of him behind her, how it made her feel safe and protected, and she missed a couple of shots on purpose so he would stay with her. Eventually he looked at his watch and sighed. "I guess we'd better call it a day," he said reluctantly, pleased to see that Amy looked disappointed. "Vince will probably have me beheaded if I get you back too late." 

"Hey, it's only ten, that isn't exactly late, you know," Glenn moaned, then looked at Mark and grinned. "Oh I see." he said, understanding the strange look on Mark's face. 

"What?" Amy asked, looking from one of them to another. 

"Nothing darlin', come on, let's go," Mark murmured, making his goodbyes to Glenn and Tammy and then leading her out of the building and over to the car. 


	13. Chapter 13

***Sexual content!!*** 

Chapter thirteen 

"Glenn was right, it isn't really all that late," Amy said as they were driving along. 

"Oh, I know that, sweetheart. But if we didn't leave now, I wouldn't be able to have any time alone with you before I took you back," Mark said, smiling across at her before turning his attention back to the road. 

"Oh," Amy said softly, feeling inordinately pleased that he wanted to be alone with her again. She watched as he drove along and turned down a darkened road that seemed to go on forever and then just end, apparently in the middle of nowhere. 

"There," he said as he turned the engine off. "This'll do for now." 

"Where are we?" Amy asked, trying to look out of the window but seeing only her own reflection in the glass. 

"Just somewhere we can get a little privacy, without Glenn finding us and butting in," Mark said, releasing her seat belt and his own and pulling her unresisting body across the car into his lap. "That's much better." He studied her face, noting that she looked slightly wary. "What's the matter darlin', not getting scared on me all of a sudden are you?" 

Amy swallowed before she answered, studying his face where it was so close to hers. "Not really...I just...it's a bit dark out here," she muttered. 

Mark frowned. "Are you scared of the dark or me?" 

"I'm not sure...the dark I guess. Maybe a bit of you, too," she admitted, chewing her lip. 

His thumb came up and pulled her bottom lip from between her teeth, rubbing gently over it where she had bitten it. "Why would you be scared of me darlin'?" 

"I can't think straight when I'm close to you...you make me feel out of control," she stuttered, her wide eyes fixed on his. 

Mark chuckled. "At least you're honest about it, sweetheart, but that ain't nothing to be scared of. Now tell me why you don't like the dark?" 

"He used to lock me in the cellar. The light switch was outside, but even if it had been inside I wouldn't have dared to use it, because he would probably have killed me." Her voice was flat as she said this and her eyes had taken on a faraway look. 

"Who, Amy? Who locked you in the cellar?" 

His voice made her jump and she stared at him. "Oh, I...er...I shouldn't have said anything." 

"Yes you should, it's probably past time that you told someone about this. Why shouldn't it be me?" he asked reasonably, one hand stroking the small tendrils of hair away from her face. 

"Because you won't look at me again in the same way, the way you usually look at me," she admitted. 

"How do I usually look at you?" he asked her, amused by her response. 

"Sort of like...well, like you want to eat me," she said, seeing that same look in his eyes now. 

"That's pretty accurate darlin', but all in good time. Tonight we let each other know a few things that other people don't know, how's that?" 

She nodded and he sighed when he felt her settle against him, her posture becoming more relaxed. "Okay, sweetheart, how about I go first? I know you must want to hear about my marriage, because if the gossip mongers have already gotten to you then you'll probably have the wrong idea about the whole thing." He took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her, his head dropping slightly so he could rest his chin on her hair. 

"I met Sara and I fell in love with her pretty damn quick, which I suppose was probably stupid, but that's the way I am. Anyway, I married her and I thought everything was okay and when she got pregnant I felt like my world was complete, you know? Until I found out she was sleeping with someone else, and that the baby was his and not mine. I've got a bad temper, which I'm sure you've heard about, and I went a little crazy, beat the guy up. I don't hurt women, but I wanted to kill her for what she'd done, for betraying me," he confessed and Amy could feel how tense he was. 

She looked up at him. "She broke your heart, didn't she?" 

"I thought so at the time, but I think I got over it too quickly. I'm not sure I was as in love with her as I thought." 

"It was the baby that hurt the most though, wasn't it?" Amy asked, narrowing her eyes. 

He looked down at her and gave a small smile. "You see deeper than anyone else has honey. Yeah, it was the baby that hurt the most. I wanted a kid so much...and then to find out it wasn't even mine. You've probably heard that I didn't have much use for women after that, save for one thing. And that was all true, at least for a while. I was hurting and I used people, maybe I even hurt their feelings. I don't know, I didn't bother to find out one way or another, and I guess I feel a bit guilty about that. But Sara took me for a hard ride, one that nearly had me hating all women, at least until you came along. I heard through the grapevine that she stayed with the guy, so I guess that's where she is now and she's probably happy. Although he hasn't got as much money as I have, and she did love money. I guess she found him better in bed than me too, judging by some of the things she said to me at the end. Apparently she only 'suffered me' and she said I was pretty useless even when she was in the mood." 

Amy winced, only being able to imagine how much that would hurt a man's ego. "Well, I don't know about the...er...bed part, but I love the way you kiss and your voice...it..." she broke off and swallowed, feeling shy telling him what she liked about him. 

"My voice is what?" he prompted, a slight smile curving his lips. 

"It's really deep, really, well, sexy. Especially when you make your accent all exaggerated and you sound just like a cowboy out of one of those old films. And then when you keep using endearments when you talk to me like that...it makes me go all weird, sort of shivery. You're the sexiest, most handsome man I've ever met, and I can't imagine anyone wanting your money more than they'd want you," she said, not thinking about her words. 

He looked almost amazed, surprised that just the sound of his voice could affect her so deeply. Mind you, he thought, he found her voice stimulating as well. But the thing that struck him the most was that she didn't care about his material possessions. "You wouldn't care if I was dirt poor would you baby?" he asked, his big hand cupping her face. 

"It doesn't matter to me what you've got, you're you, that's what I l...er...like," she said softly. 

He wondered if she had been about to say something else but he didn't want to push her just yet, and besides, he wanted to learn about her. "Come on, I've told you about the bad stuff that happened to me, now it's your turn. And honey, I ain't gonna look at you any differently, not ever." He looked at her tense, almost frightened, expression and pulled her face into his chest, letting her talk to him without having to look at him, knowing that this would be better for her. 

"I don't remember when it started, because it's all I ever remembered from when we were with my father. He used to beat my mum up and when he couldn't hit her anymore because she was unconscious or bleeding too badly, he would start on me. I was in and out of hospital so many times when I was little, but no-one ever seemed to realise that he was doing it. I suppose he must have been a convincing liar, although I can't ever remember him speaking, not to anyone. It's weird, but I have memories of his mouth moving, but I can't remember his voice, his talking voice I mean. I can hear how he sounded when he went mad and shouted, but I can't ever remember hearing him talking calmly, just talking..." she tailed off and he heard her swallow. "There's not an awful lot to tell. He just kept beating on us until Vince came and got us out of there." 

"What about the cellar?" Mark asked, trying to keep his voice calm because right now he wanted to go back in time and kill the son of a bitch who had been her father. 

"He used to lock me in there when I was bad," she said and shrugged. 

"When you were bad? What did you do?" 

"Spilled a drink or knocked something over. I broke a glass once when he hit me and I stumbled into the table, so he locked me in the cellar for the whole night. That happened quite a lot. Christmas time and birthdays were the worst, in a way. My mum always bought me a present, but he always broke whatever she got right in front of me. The last Christmas I actually remember with him he made me sit in the corner while they ate their dinner, I wasn't allowed to have any, I can't remember why. I know I was hungry a lot back then, maybe that's why I'm so short, because I didn't get enough nourishment." She looked up at him briefly and then snuggled back against him, feeling safe. "But it's over now, isn't it? Vince saved us, he really did. But my mum never got over it, never really went back to being the person Vince has told me so much about. I used to feel jealous whenever I saw a film at Christmas of people having a family dinner and celebration. I've never had that, as far as I can recall. Mum had to get whatever work she could to support us, and that often meant working on all the holidays as the pay was better then. Mostly a neighbour would watch out for me if she wasn't there, and there wasn't any spare money once all the bills were paid for presents. Not that I blame her for that," she said quickly, frowning. "She did what she had to do and I would have done the same I suppose. I've felt sort of bad since she's been gone, because she didn't protect me. But when I look back she was usually too badly hurt to help me out. I don't really understand, even now, why she didn't leave him. I would never stay with someone who could hurt me or my child like that," she said fiercely, her frown deepening. She shrugged. "She must have loved him a lot. Anyway, Vince often called us to make sure we were okay and she always told him we were, even if we barely had enough money for food that week." She took a deep shuddering sigh, feeling an intense sense of relief to be unburdening herself of all the pain of her past. "Although she wasn't there very much, when she died I felt so alone, but I knew I had Vince and Linda in the background if I ever needed them. I just didn't think I ever would," she said, her voice quiet. 

"And you came here because you needed them? Because you lost your job?" Mark prompted when she remained silent for a minute. 

"Sort of. My boss tried to touch me, he cornered me in his office and...well...he made some threats and stuff, but Vince said it would all be okay." She moved away from his chest again and looked up at him. "It will be okay won't it?" 

"Honey, if Vince said it would be okay, then it will be," he said, keeping his expression carefully neutral so he didn't give away the fact that he didn't know about her boss. He intended to ask Vince all about it when he took her home that night. "You know you belong to all of us at the federation now, and there ain't one of us gonna let anything happen to you, especially me." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and then hugged her fiercely, his frown deep as he thought about what she had told him. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you, sweetheart, but you can believe me when I say nothing like that will ever happen again." 

"I'm sorry, too, about your wife," Amy said in return and she felt his chest rise and fall on a deep sigh. "She needs to have her head tested, not wanting you. You're a hunk." 

Mark chuckled. "You know something? For the first time I'm glad she didn't want me, because now I get to hold you, and that's worth everything that's happened sweetheart." 

Amy snuggled closer to him and hugged him tighter. "I'm so glad I met you." 

"I can say the same, honey. I think we've both laid some ghosts to rest tonight, and it's probably about time. Now let's do what I've been wanting to do for ages," he murmured, nudging her head away from him so he could cover her mouth with his. 

She gave in instantly, her lips parting so she could welcome his tongue inside, her own tangling with it. A soft moan of pleasure worked it's way out of her throat as he crushed her against him, his kiss becoming deeper and more passionate as she clung to him with complete trust. His hands slid up her back and gently unfastened her bra without her even being aware of it and he moved one hand underneath her top so he could search out her soft skin. Amy didn't even protest once, she was so eager for him to touch her, and it sparked off a deep emotion in him that had him drawing his head back and staring down at her with glittering eyes. "Do you have any idea how easy it would be to just lay you down right here and make love to you?" 

She managed to open her eyes and simply nodded, biting her lip and staring at his mouth where it was hovering so close to her own. 

"Do you want it again?" he asked, his voice husky and his lips curving into a smile when she nodded again. "And if I wanted to make love to you, right now, would you let me?" 

"I'd let you," she whispered, raising her gaze from his mouth to his eyes. 

"Without any promises of forever after or anything like that?" he prompted her, raising both eyebrows. 

"After the way your wife treated you I wouldn't expect that. But it'd be okay, I wouldn't mind," she said, and he studied her carefully, seeing the slight indecision that she couldn't hide. 

"Hmm. I think you'd like me to make love to you, honey, but I think your conscience would beat you to death afterwards and I ain't gonna do that to you. Besides, I have a conscience too, you know. Some women I could do that to with a clear conscience, but not you." He gave her a brief kiss and then put her gently back in her own seat. "That being the case, we're going home, right now." 

"Now? But..." she started, but he reached across her and fastened her seat belt, pinning her against the seat and stopping her words. 

"No buts young lady, I'm taking you home," he said, his eyes a mere inch away from hers, "before I do something you'll regret!" 

"But I wouldn't..." she tried again, not wanting to end their closeness. This time he kissed her to shut her up. 

"I said no buts," he growled at her, nipping her bottom lip gently and smiling before he moved away and started the car. 

Amy tried to smile back but found that she couldn't. Why had he stopped so suddenly? she wondered. There was only one reason she could think of and that was because of what she had told him about her past. She turned her head away and looked out of the window as he drove them back to Vince's house, but her eyes weren't seeing the dark scenery going by. She couldn't believe how much it was hurting her that he had stopped, especially when she had been so willing. Even though he had said that he wouldn't look at her any differently after what she had revealed, he had. He must find her disgusting, she decided, and her eyes filled with weak tears that she tried to dash quickly away before they got home. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop crying and eventually, when they pulled up in front of the house, Mark noticed. 

"Amy? What's wrong honey?" he asked her softly, his face a picture of surprise when he saw the tears streaming from her eyes. He hadn't had any idea she was even upset. 

"I..." she tried, but she couldn't find the words. "Nothing. I'm sorry, I shouldn't...I shouldn't have told you...I ruined everything!" she said and quickly got out of the car and ran into the house. Her movements were so quick that Mark hadn't even taken his seat belt off when the front door slammed behind her. 

"What the hell...?" he said to himself and got out of the car to follow her. He knocked on the front door and waited for what seemed like forever before a very angry looking Vince threw the door open and glared at him. 

"What did you do to her?" Vince snapped, his teeth gritted in genuine fury. 

"I didn't do anything," Mark defended himself, looking shocked. He ran a hand through his hair and tried not to look as puzzled as he felt. "She was fine, then we drove home...I don't get it." 

Vince lost some of the stiffness from his posture and stared at Mark, pursing his lips. "What happened on the way home to make her that upset then?" 

"Hell if I know! We talked about our past and I thought we were getting on okay. Hell, I even stopped myself from having sex with her right there in the car because I actually have a lot of respect for the girl..." he tailed off and shot a wary look at Vince. "That..er..that didn't come out quite how it should have." 

Vince actually gave a slight smile. "Don't worry about it, at least the word respect was in there somewhere. So that was all?" 

"Yeah, except now she's crying her eyes out and I have no idea why!" 

"Oh come on! You must have said something, or done something to upset her. Think!" Vince said, starting to get more impatient. "Did she say anything?" 

"She said she was sorry and that..." Mark broke off and hit himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand. "Christ I'm dumb. She thinks I'm looking at her differently!" 

Vince frowned. "What? What does that mean?" 

"She told me about her dad, but she didn't want to at first. She said I'd look at her differently when I knew the whole story. She must think that's why I didn't...er...you know..." he looked uncomfortable and Vince relented a little. 

"I get it, you don't have to paint me a picture. Well, go on, get up there and explain it to her," he said, motioning Mark past him. 

"Firstly, I want to ask you what she was going on about earlier, something about her boss?" Mark asked, eager to find out the truth. 

Vince told him all about the man and what he had been doing and Mark found himself getting angry, swallowing the emotion with some difficulty. Vince nodded and gave a smile. "At least she has us on her side now, doesn't she? He won't get anywhere near her, if he even has the brains to try and find her again! Now go on, get up there." He grabbed Mark's arm as he walked past. "And do a good job of it, I don't want her any more upset than she already is, got it?" 

Mark nodded and then narrowed his eyes. "How long have I got before you send in the army to remove me?" 

"Count yourself lucky that I'm not in too bad a mood. I'm going to bed myself so I won't be timing you. Her room is the last one on the right. Feel free to stay the night, the guest room is opposite Amy's room, and that's where I expect to find you in the morning." Vince stared at the younger man and then smiled knowingly. "On your own." 

"Dammit, I was hoping you wouldn't say that!"  
"You may be out on your ear after ten seconds if she won't listen, so don't count your chickens. Goodnight," Vince said and disappeared into one of the downstairs rooms. 

Mark watched him go and then made his way up the stairs to Amy's room. He stopped outside the door and listened, hearing small muffled sounds coming from inside. Great, she was still crying. This definitely wasn't going to be easy, he thought, and he turned the handle, not bothering to knock and give her an excuse to tell him where to go. 

Amy was sitting in the middle of the bed with her face pressed into a pillow which she was hugging to her chest, and her head jerked up when she heard the door open, her eyes widening with shock when she saw Mark standing there. 

Mark didn't give her a chance to say anything or get up from the bed, he slammed the door behind him and then strode straight over to the bed, picking her up and settling her on his lap once he had sat down. She struggled slightly against him, but he held her easily and just pulled her head to his chest, one big hand stroking her hair as he held her. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked, his voice quiet. 

Amy shook her head and relaxed against him, her head tucked under his chin so she didn't see his mouth form a thin line as he let a bit of irritation flow through him. "I ain't leaving until you do, so you might as well get started. Then I can decide whether I should be angry and whether or not you deserve to get your ass whipped!" 

His words made Amy jerk her head back and stared up at him, surprised that he sounded angry when he was holding her so gently. "You wouldn't..." 

"Hell, yes I would, little girl, so I suggest you tell me what had you so upset you decided to run away from me like I'd done something wrong!" 

"You didn't do anything...it's not your fault..." she stammered and then fell back against his chest, hiding her face from him. 

"What's not my fault?" he prompted, hugging her against him. 

"That you think I'm disgusting, that you don't want to touch me," she said, her voice so quiet he could barely hear her. 

"Disgusting? Why the hell would I think you're disgusting?" he said, his voice a deep growl. 

"Because of what I told you," she said, sounding resigned. 

"I don't think you're disgusting. Hell, if I thought that I wouldn't even be in here right now, would I?" 

Amy frowned as she thought about that. "I guess not. But you stopped...in the car." 

"You guess not. So that's what this is all about? You think I don't want to touch you?" Amy nodded and he rolled his eyes. "Lord, give me strength. You want to know why I stopped touching you?" he asked, his face taking on stern lines as he stared down at her. He watched as she nodded again and then he took her hand and put it squarely in his groin, spreading her fingers over the large swollen ridge of hard flesh there. "That's why." he muttered gruffly, still holding her hand against him as she tried to pull it away. He scanned her eyes for any hint of understanding, but she looked hopelessly confused and he found himself chuckling. "You have no idea what I'm on about do you?" He let her pull her hand away finally and then he dropped a small kiss on her nose, glad to see that she didn't look miserable any more. 

"You turn me on so quick and so hard, that if I actually made love to you while I was in that desperate a condition, I'd hurt you. I'd rather chew my own arm off than do that, so when we do make love, I'm going to try and be a bit calmer, if that's at all possible," he said, his eyes twinkling as her face became redder. "Does that sound like the reaction of someone who finds you disgusting?" 

Amy shook her head and then looked down at what she had so recently been touching. "Isn't it always like that then?" she asked him, her eyes huge. 

Mark burst out laughing, laying back on the bed and pulling her so she was laying next to him. "No, it isn't. God, your sex education is sadly lacking. Maybe I should just go ahead and strip off so you can get a good look!" He looked at her and was surprised to find she didn't look appalled at that thought, but rather looked almost hopeful. "Do you want me to?" 

"I...er...no, Vince..." she tried to explain, her words halting because she could almost picture him naked, lack of education or not. 

Mark raised his eyebrows and grinned. "You do have a lock on your door, and Vince has gone to bed. How about it? I think I can restrain myself if you can!" He was only half joking. 

She bit her lip as she seriously thought about it. "We shouldn't." 

"But you want to, don't you? You want me to strip off and let you do whatever you like with me, don't you?" he asked, leaning up on one elbow so his face was hovering just over hers, his mouth an inch away from her own. "Go ahead and admit it. You want to see me naked!" 

"Yes, I do," she whispered, just before his mouth came down and pressed her lips apart, his tongue shooting into her mouth and tangling with her own whilst one of his hands speared into her hair and turned her head at the right angle. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and then scraped his teeth across it, releasing it only to nip at her lips. When he broke the kiss and pulled back to look at her, he saw her staring back at him through misty eyes, the longing obvious to see. 

"This is really stupid, you know that? I feel like a goddamn teenager again, creeping about behind the parents backs. If I take my clothes off and show you what it is you want to see, do you honestly think I'll be able to stop myself from using it?" Mark asked her, his lips curving upwards in amusement. 

"I guess not," she whispered. 

"You guess not. You keep saying that. The question is, do you still want me to?" 

"Yes." 

Mark swallowed and thought about it for all of five seconds. This is really stupid, Calloway, he thought to himself, but all the same he sat up and started pulling his shirt off. 

Amy watched wide-eyed as he revealed his upper body to her gaze, moving quickly on to his belt and then the zip on his trousers. He glanced up briefly and gave a wry smile at her fascinated stare. "You'd better go and lock that door, sweetheart." 

Amy jumped up and did as he told her, turning back to him to find him standing next to the bed now, wearing only his boxer shorts. She tried not stare at how perfect he was, but she couldn't help it, he was gorgeous. His huge arms with their multitude of tattoos excited her for some strange reason, as did his height and pretty much everything else about him too. His presence filled the room, making people notice him wherever he went. Her cheeks flamed when his hands moved to the waist of the shorts and he slowly started to pull them down. "You still sure about this?" he asked her, his movement stopping as he looked at her. 

"I...no," she mumbled, looking acutely embarrassed. 

Mark moved towards her and framed her face in his hands, bending to softly kiss her. "If you don't want me to get naked, honey, then I won't." 

Amy gulped and stared at the huge expanse of flesh in front of her face, her hands reaching out and smoothing across his enormous chest, running through the red hair there and relishing the feel of his warmth. "It's not...I do want to see you...it's just a bit..." 

"New?" he put in, smiling lopsidedly as her hands made his body harden uncomfortably. 

"Yes," she said, her eyes on his torso and not on his face. She rubbed across his nipple as she had done before and he tensed, his arms shooting out and landing on the door frame above her head, balancing him as he let her continue to explore him. "Is this okay?" she asked unsteadily as she ran her hands over his stomach and felt the muscles there clench. 

"This is more than okay, believe me. It's killing me," he growled as her hands ran dangerously low across his abdomen. 

She stilled and looked up at him. "It hurts?" 

"It's complete torture, but don't you damn well stop," he said, moving her hands on him again so she would get the message and carry on. She obliged eagerly, exploring all the solid muscle of him and tugging on the tiny line of hair below his belly button before sliding her arms under his and pressing herself against him. Her hands explored his back now and ran up and down his sides, making him tense over and over again. He hadn't been this responsive to such innocent play since he was a teenager, he thought as he felt his legs shaking. 

"I think I'd better lay down," he said, walking backwards across the room until he could fall on the bed and take her down with him. "That's better, I didn't think my legs would hold me up much longer!" He looked at her confused expression and chuckled. "You're too much, you know that? Didn't anyone ever tell you that it makes your legs weak?" 

"It does? Well, no, I didn't know that." She gave a small smile. "I made your legs weak?" 

"Yeah, you sure did. Want to make them even weaker?" he asked her, grinning wickedly. 

"How?" she asked, looking all too eager to try. 

"Well, you could start by moving your hands just a bit lower, that would pretty much be guaranteed to do it," he said, not thinking there was any way she would actually do it. His breath left him in a rush when she did as he suggested and brushed her hands over the front of his shorts. "Christ!" 

She looked at his tense face and decided to touch him again and watch his reaction this time, just to be sure he was okay with it all. She licked her lips and took a deep breath, then let her hands fall on him again, her fingers testing the shape of him under the thin material. Apart from his jaw clenching and his eyes screwing closed, he didn't look as if it hurt, she thought, and gave a gentle squeeze. He gasped in a breath and grabbed her hand. 

"I'm sorry..." she began, thinking she had hurt him. She tried to pull her hand away but he pressed it harder against his violently aroused flesh. 

"No," he said, his eyes snapping open and staring into hers. "Let me show you," he said, his voice deeper than she had heard it. He moved her hand and showed her how to touch him, how much pressure to use, until finally she got the hang of it and gently stroked him. 

"I want...can you...can I take them off?" she asked hesitantly, getting braver by the second as she was doing things she had never before imagined. 

Mark closed his eyes and prayed for more strength. "You can do whatever you want honey, feel free." 

"Really?" 

"Really. Go ahead, I ain't gonna stop you," he invited, holding his arms out and laying there like a sacrificial victim, smiling as she started looking less tense, although her face was an interesting shade of red. "Scarlet," he whispered, stroking one finger down her face before flinging his arm back on the bed again. 

Amy almost chewed through her lip as her hand went to the waist of the shorts and tugged them slowly down his hips. The elasticated edge got caught on the huge bulge of his arousal and he chuckled, twisting his hips to help her. Finally she freed him and her eyes grew enormous as she stared at a naked man for the first time. Her mouth formed a soundless 'o' as she stared and Mark started to feel slightly uncomfortable, not being the one in control for the first time in his life. He watched her reaction and felt a rush of emotion clench his stomach as he thought about sinking into her innocent young body, and he hardened even more under her fascinated gaze. 

"Is that normal?" she asked, reaching out and touching him again, intrigued by how soft the taut skin felt under her fingertips. 

"Oh, yeah, that's very normal," he muttered, wondering how he was going to survive this. 

"But it's huge!" she said and then covered her mouth when she realised what she had said. 

Mark burst out laughing and pulled her over on top of him, hugging her pliant body to his chest. "God, you make me feel young, sweetheart. Give me your mouth," he said, nudging her face up so he could take her mouth, kissing her deeply whilst he allowed his hands to roam over her curves. He moved his fingers to her hair and started to release it, stroking the long, thick tendrils down over her shoulders, relishing the silky feel of it. 

Amy felt him pull her top up and deftly take her arms out of it so it was left hanging around her neck, but she couldn't find the will to protest. She wanted to feel her naked skin pressed on his, and she lifted up when he began removing her bra so she could make it easier for him. 

Mark stopped the kiss and suddenly sat up, staring at the beautiful curves he had uncovered, getting his first look of her breasts without any cloth in the way. He sucked in a sharp breath at how perfect she was, the skin creamy and smooth and the nipples small, dusky rose against the alabaster canvas of her skin. And they were real, he mused, more used to seeing the globes of a silicone enhanced chest. These were round and smooth and perfect all on their own. His fingers traced the faint freckles on her chest and he smiled, moving his hands and cupping her gently, feeling her tremble under the unfamiliar touch, although she didn't fight it. He pulled her top all the way off and flicked the pendant he had given her, letting it rest in the valley between her breasts, then he manoeuvred them until she was the one laying on her back and he was looming over her, his head dipping so he could tease one taut nipple with his tongue, using his beard and his teeth to get a response out of her. He had no trouble at all, she was incredibly responsive to even his slightest touch. 

She felt a heat well up in the pit of her stomach and work it's way out down all her nerve-endings until she was writhing underneath him, her nails biting into his back as he drew one nipple into his mouth and sucked, before turning his attention to the other one. She had never felt such sensations and she couldn't even speak, her voice gone as her breath gasped out of her mouth each time he drew on her flesh. He ran a hand down her stomach and caressed each inch of skin, his mouth following until he got to her jeans. 

Amy watched helplessly as he undid the button and then pulled the zipper down, slowly pulling the material down over her hips and revealing her simple underwear to his gaze. 

"Nice," he murmured, admiring the white cotton that only accentuated what he so wanted to uncover. He nipped at the skin just below her belly button and she moaned softly at the wave of feeling it sent through her, earning herself another nip. 

Mark ran his fingers over her mound, letting them drift down over the moistness that was gathering underneath the cotton. She was aroused, that was easy for him to see and he hooked one finger underneath the elastic and tugged them down and off, throwing them on the floor together with her jeans. He gazed down at the pink softness he had uncovered, his fingers running slowly through the dark auburn curls until he could stroke open the moist petals. He felt her jump slightly at the contact and her legs attempted to close, but he wedged himself between them to stop her. 

"No, honey, don't cover yourself. You are truly a work of art and I want to touch you in the same way you were touching me," he said, looking up her trembling body into her shocked eyes. "You gonna let me?" 

Amy tried to speak and couldn't. She nodded her head and watched as he grinned wickedly at her and then lowered his head, shocking the life out of her by actually using his tongue to taste her there, something she wasn't even aware that people did! She made a faint attempt to protest what he was doing but then she groaned and her head flopped back when he ran his tongue up and down the moist opening, finding the small, violently sensitive nub and caressing it softly. 

The violent trembling of her legs and her abandoned response urged him on and he slowly slipped a thick finger inside her, moving it gently as he felt how new this was to her. She was so incredibly tight that he doubted he would be able to get himself inside her at all. 

Amy almost came up off the bed when she felt his finger invade her, the feeling alien for a few seconds and then incredibly pleasurable as he moved it gently in and out of her. She lost any will to stop him and just lay there letting him do whatever he liked, faintly scared at the strong feelings that were shooting through her. 

Mark reluctantly stopped licking at her soft flesh and looked up at her as he added another finger to the first and stretched the elastic flesh he so wanted to sink into, he could feel the barrier of her virginity and he felt his body swell even more at the thought that he would eventually be the one to take it. He watched as she bit her lip and screwed her eyes closed, her hips moving up towards him, and he started moving his fingers rhythmically in and out of her entrance until he felt the first signs of her tightening around the digits. She was gasping for breath and looked terrified of what was about to happen and her eyes opened and looked down into his. 

"Don't panic, baby, just let it happen. Cum for me," he said gently. He moved his thumb up to rub over the distended nub and smiled as she whimpered and the first orgasm she had ever experienced ripped through her body, her juices flooding over his fingers as her body convulsed. As soon as her muscles unclenched a little bit he withdrew his hand and kissed the insides of her thighs, moving up to cover her body and kiss her trembling mouth. 

She returned the kiss with more enthusiasm than skill, but still she made him groan as his unfulfilled body jerked against her. He drew back to take a breath and stroked her hair out of her face. "Okay?" 


	14. Chapter 14

***Sexual content!!*** 

Chapter fourteen 

Amy felt her face go hot as she stared at him, realising what had just happened and not feeling able to face him after what he had done. She buried her face in his neck and clutched him to her, her arms fixed firmly around his neck, and she felt him shake against her as he laughed. "Come on, honey, there's nothing to be embarrassed about." he said, rolling on his back so she was laying on top of him, his arms folding around her back to hug her to him. 

"You watched..." she mumbled, her voice muffled against his throat. 

"Yeah, I sure did and you were beautiful, you know that? Want to see me look the same way?" he asked, knowing that either she finished him off or he did it himself, there was no way his body was going to calm down on it's own. 

"Can I?" she asked, her face coming out of hiding so she could stare wide eyed at him. 

"How can you still look so innocent?" he asked with amusement, his eyes twinkling. "Yeah, you can watch me too, if you like. Of course, you'll have to get me that way first," he said, watching her go even redder. 

"You mean, you want me to...to...er...like you did?" 

He shook his head. "Not exactly the same way, you're new to this. Just go with your instincts, okay? Unless you don't want to?" 

She bit her lip. "I do, I think. It's all a bit scary," she said softly. 

"I guess it is. Well I tell you something, honey, I think that if you don't touch me I'm gonna die. How scary do you think that is for me?" He chuckled at her rapt expression and moved her so she was laying next to him and she had free access to his body. 

Use her instincts, he had said, and she licked her lips nervously as she looked at the massive nude body laying next to her own. She tentatively stroked her hand down his abdomen and watched the muscles ripple beneath her fingers, his stomach giving a slight quiver as she traced his tattoo there. She followed the faint trail of crisp hair that led down to where his arousal lay, waiting for her to touch it. Her heart beat speeded up as she wrapped her fingers around the rock hard shaft and stroked slowly, glancing up at him when his fingers covered hers and taught her what to do to best please him. She followed what he did eagerly, still acutely embarrassed that he was watching her, but fascinated by everything she was learning. She moved her hand faster and then reached out with her finger and touched the tip of him, collecting up the small bead of fluid that had come from him. His reaction when she touched him like that made her stop moving her hand for a moment and she stared at his tense expression, his teeth gritted. "I didn't hurt you...?" 

"No, hell, no, you didn't hurt. Do it again," he said, his voice deep and incredibly husky and he groaned as she obeyed him, running her finger over the tip of him and playing there for a few seconds. He was obviously enjoying it and she stared down at what she was holding, awe struck that she was even able to touch a man like this. She wanted more, she wanted to please him the way he had done her, but she wasn't sure how to go about it. What the hell, she thought, there was no harm in trying was there? She bent her head and flicked her tongue out to taste him, surprised at the salty flavour of the fluid that seemed to seep slowly from him. It wasn't unpleasant, she decided, and did it again, this time running her tongue hesitantly over the whole head. 

Mark groaned, bit off a curse as he tried to find a way of making his mouth tell her to stop, and then his hands came up and held her head there, feeling her tongue come out and taste him again and again. He wanted to bury himself in her mouth, but knew that would probably shock her to death, so he settled for what he could get and felt himself rapidly approaching orgasm. "Use your hands again," he gritted out at her, needing more. His eyes rolled into his head when she obliged, still using her tongue as well until he felt himself tighten up in preparation. He pulled her head away from him and gripped her hand around his shaft, groaning harshly as he erupted and spilled himself onto her hands, the pleasure wracking his body for what seemed like forever. When his mind finally returned to normal, he opened his eyes and met her awed gaze, her mouth hanging open, and he couldn't help chuckling. "Shocked?" 

She nodded her head and looked down at the thick flesh that had been so hard only a few seconds ago. Now it was softening, although it still looked fairly big to her stunned eyes. She couldn't believe it. She wasn't totally ignorant, although nearly so, but she had no idea that men looked like that or that their bodies did anything like that either. 

Mark sat up slowly and let out a shaky breath, looking at the mess he'd made of himself and he grinned. "I guess I'd better get cleaned up, huh?" he said, moving to get off the bed, totally unashamed in his nudity. Amy sat and watched him walk to the en-suite bathroom, finally realising her own state of undress and jumping up to wrap a gown around her. Before she could get the gown off the back of the door, Mark walked back out of the bathroom with a cloth in his hand, his eyes narrowing as he looked her over. 

"Beautiful," he murmured, grabbing her arm and pulling her against him. He didn't mention the tiny scars he could just about make out on her buttocks and lower back, he knew where they had probably come from. There would be time enough for her to tell him more about her past, when she felt more comfortable doing so. He proceeded to wash her hands off and then dropped the cloth and bent to kiss her, his arms going under hers and lifting her off the floor. It wasn't a particularly passionate kiss, but rather a gentling one as he strove to stop his body from taking over again. As much as he wanted to, now wasn't the time to make love to her fully. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down on it, pulling the covers back and then tucking them around her so that her tempting body was no longer on view. 

Amy stared up at him speechlessly as he moved away and put his clothes back on, not bothering to hurry and obviously amused by the way she was watching him. "See something you like darlin'?" he asked her, sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling with a genuine affection as he flicked her nose. 

"Ouch!" she yelped, rubbing her nose. She found herself relaxing again in his company, even though her mind was replaying all they'd done, and she grinned cheekily at him. "I don't really see anything to like. I told you before, you have big ears, then there's the fact that you're out of shape..." she tailed off as his eyebrows rose and he stared at her in amazement. 

"For someone who was shocked speechless just a few minutes ago, you sure recover fast. You think you're really brave enough to insult me? You think you can take the consequences this time?" He bared his teeth in a growl and grabbed her quilt covered form and clasped her around the waist. "Want me to show you how out of shape I am?" 

Amy wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded. "Yes, I do," she answered honestly, and Mark was floored by how direct she could be. 

"At least you don't hide how you feel, I like that. Unfortunately, much as I'd like to, I can't oblige you right now. I'm not supposed to be in here when Vince wakes up tomorrow, and I'd take all night with you darlin', so I'd better get over to the guest room." 

"You're staying here?" she asked him, drawing back enough to stare into his emerald eyes. 

"Hmm. Just across the hall, but don't go thinking you can sneak into my bed in the middle of the night. I'll be locking the door to protect myself!" he said, his eyes dropping to her mouth a second before his lips followed suit and he kissed her deeply, his arms crushing her against him. What was it he found so irresistible about this girl? he thought. He broke off and grinned at her stunned expression. "You gonna bring me a nice cooked breakfast in bed?" he joked. 

"If you like," she replied. "What's wrong?" she asked him when she saw him frown. 

"Nothing's wrong honey. You'd really go to that trouble for me, cook me a breakfast and bring it to me in bed?" He was genuinely astonished. The women he'd known before, with the exception of his mother, hadn't been able to cook and would never have dreamt of actually waiting on him, thinking that it would be something too menial. 

"Of course I would," she said, wondering why he looked so odd. "I can if you'd like, I can cook. What would you like?" 

"You wouldn't think I was treating you like a servant or somethin'?" he asked her, just making sure. 

She smiled. "Of course not, I love cooking and I love...I'd love to cook for you, if you want me to?" 

He grinned and wrapped her up in a hug so hard she could barely breathe. "Oh, yeah, I'd like that." He let her go when she tried squirming away from him and then grinned and looked sheepish when she took a deep breath. "Sorry, guess that was too hard huh?" 

She slapped his arm. "Just a bit, let me breathe next time okay? So, what do you want for breakfast?" 

He reeled off a huge list of fried foods, making her smile that he could possibly eat so much, then halfway through his demands she reached out for his hand, stopping hesitantly just before she touched it. He looked down at her hand and stopped talking. "Do you need my permission to touch me?" 

"I don't know. Do I?" she asked him, wondering how freely she could touch him. 

"Honey, you can touch me anywhere, at anytime, okay? As I said before, just feel free, I ain't gonna complain!"  
"Really?" 

"Yeah, really," he said, taking her hand and stroking her fingers. 

Amy lifted her hand and brushed her fingers across his cheek, feeling the days' growth of stubble scratch at them as she traced his features slowly. "Do you have to go?" she asked shyly, wishing he could just lay there with her. 

"Mmm, I do," he murmured, enjoying her gentle touch. "If I stay here I think we both know what'll happen, don't we?" he asked, arching one eyebrow and giving her a knowing look. 

"I wouldn't mind," she whispered. She frowned as she stroked over his eyebrows. "Does it feel like that when...er...you know..." 

"Like what?" 

"Like...when you...what you did to me..." she stopped and cleared her throat, wondering how to put it into words. He saved her the trouble. 

"Sweetheart, if you're asking what it'll be like when I'm inside you," he said, his eyes glinting wickedly as he looked at her red face, "then I have to say that when you cum, it'll be strong enough to blow your head off!" 

"Mark!" she said, shocked by his terminology, just as he knew she would be. He grinned wickedly, making her heart thump harder in her chest. 

"What's wrong sweetie, still not used to the way I talk yet?" he asked her, running his hand over her shoulder and around to the back of her neck, massaging the delicate column. "You will be, eventually. Maybe I'll even tone it down from now on, huh?" 

"Hmmph, I just bet you will," she grumbled, giving him her best glare. 

"Well, maybe not," he said, moving his hand around to lift her chin. "Time I was going. Kiss me goodnight," he demanded, smiling under her lips as she quickly complied. 

He gently pushed her away after a while and tucked her down into the bed, kissing her fingers before turning and opening the door. "Goodnight, honey," he said softly, winking at her and then turning the light off before leaving the room. 

She took a deep shaky breath and snuggled down under the covers, a smile on her lips as she fell almost instantly into a deep sleep. 

Amy opened her eyes the next morning and stretched, wondering why she felt so relaxed, then she sat bolt upright in bed and covered her mouth with one hand as she remembered what had happened the night before. 

"Oh my God!" she whispered shakily, leaping out of bed and rushing into the bathroom so she could look at herself in the mirror. She saw faint marks on her body where he had touched her and she felt herself go red, then she smiled. He was still here. 

It took her only ten minutes to shower and dress and appear in the kitchen, she was so excited about cooking him breakfast. 

Vince was sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper and he glanced up at her as she barrelled into the room. "Whoa, something up?" he asked, laughing at how animated she looked for a change. 

"No...yes...oh, I have to cook breakfast," she gushed, opening the fridge to look for all the things he had said he wanted. "Oh," she muttered, realising that there were only eggs, bacon and sausages. "Don't we have any steak?" she asked Vince, tapping her fingertips on the fridge door. 

"If it ain't in there then we don't have it," Vince said, leaning back and studying her more closely. "Why would you want steak?" 

"I told Mark I'd cook him breakfast and he likes steak," she said, shrugging her shoulders. 

"Mmm-hmm. Well we don't have any, so he'll have to settle for what you've already got there...which looks like the entire contents of the fridge!" 

"You don't mind do you? I can buy some more," she quickly offered, moving to put the things back. "I can go out right now and get the things I need..." 

Vince's hand on her arm stopped her from talking. "Hey, this is your home, remember? Take what you like and don't worry about replacing it, okay?" 

Amy smiled and nodded, giving the older man a quick hug before starting to prepare breakfast. "Would you like some?" she asked him while she turned the bacon. 

"It smells really good, but I've already eaten, unfortunately," he said on a groan, sniffing appreciatively at the food she was cooking. "Anyway, I have to get going, I've got a lot to do if we're going to leave in 2 days. Linda and Steph have already left, there's just you and the slumbering giant!" 

"Two days?" Amy asked, spinning away from the cooker to stare at him. "We're going in two days? Oh, I...never mind." 

Vince smiled, his eyes narrowing. "It's only for two weeks you know," he said. 

"What is? I thought we were staying there for a few weeks..." 

"It's only two weeks before _he'll_ be there," he clarified, ruffling her hair as though she were a child when she blushed. "See you later Peaches." 

Amy watched him walk out of the house and continued cooking, scooping the food onto a huge plate when she had finished and pouring a mug of coffee. She put it all on a tray and then added a glass of orange juice. A feast fit for a king, she thought as she carried it carefully up the stairs. Luckily there was a table along the wall near Mark's door and she placed the tray there before knocking on his door. She couldn't hear anything from the other side and so she knocked again, a bit harder. Still nothing. Should she just go in? she wondered and then shrugged, nothing ventured nothing gained. 

Twisting the doorknob, she carefully pushed the door open and peeked around the edge of it. Mark was laying on his back in the bed with the covers tangled low on his waist and his chest bare, soft snores coming from his mouth and his feet dangling over the end of the mattress. Amy caught her breath at the sight, he was a devastatingly handsome man and she found it hard to resist just rushing in and throwing herself on top of him. 

She fetched the tray and pushed the door wider with her foot so she could carry it into the room, kicking the door nearly closed behind her. Placing the tray on the chest of drawers, she sat on the edge of the bed with the mug of coffee and wafted it under his nose, calling his name softly. 

Mark was having a lovely dream about Amy when he suddenly caught the aroma of coffee. "How did you make coffee in bed?" he asked the dream Amy, looking down at her naked body and wondering where the coffee was. He frowned. Okay, this wasn't right. Then he heard her call his name and the dream Amy vanished, making Mark's eyes snap open. 

As soon as they did he saw Amy sitting on the bed holding out a cup of coffee and smiling. "Are you real?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes. 

"Last time I checked," she said, nodding and holding the cup out for him to take. He struggled to sit up and untangle himself from the covers, smoothing them over his hips and leaning back against the headboard. "Thanks honey," he said, taking the cup and sipping at it. He watched her as she got the tray and set it in front of him on his lap, hardly believing that she had actually kept her word and cooked him breakfast. "This looks great. Have you eaten yet?" 

Amy shook her head and stood next to the bed, not knowing whether to sit down or not. "I'm not really a breakfast person," she said. 

Mark arched an eyebrow and stared at her. "Well, you are now, you could do with a little more meat on those bones, especially if you're taking me on. Sit down," he ordered her and grabbed her arm so she had no choice but to obey. She watched as he started eating, closing his eyes and savouring the food as he chewed. "This is really good, you didn't lie when you said you could cook. Here," he said, holding some bacon out for her. Amy went to take it out of his hand. "No, no, no. Open up," he said, giving her a stern look until she did as he said and opened her mouth, letting him feed her the morsel. "There, now ain't that good?" 

She had to agree, it tasted good. She hadn't eaten a big breakfast for years. 

Mark continued to feed himself and her alternately until all the food was gone and he looked despairingly at his plate. "It's all gone," he moaned, stating the obvious. 

Amy laughed. "You can't still be hungry, there was enough there for ten men!" 

"I'm the same size as ten men!" he grumbled, trying to give her a pleading look. 

"It's no good, you know, there isn't anything left to cook, even if I felt like making you some more. Which I don't, by the way," she added, smirking at him. 

"Really? You wouldn't cook me more if you had it? You sure about that?" He held the tray out for her, grabbing the orange juice off it. 

"Well, I might, I guess," she sighed, putting the tray back on the dressing table and turning back to him, catching his smug look before he could wipe it off his face. "On second thoughts, no, I wouldn't. After all, all that muscle could so easily turn to fat you know!" 

He raised his eyebrows and set the juice on the bedside table, folding his arms over his impressive chest. "Getting brave aren't we? Want to come over here and say that?" 

"Er...not really, no," she said, shaking her head and smiling. 

"Want me to come over there then?" he asked, smirking. 

She realised he was probably naked under the covers and blushed. "No." 

"Then you better get your cute little butt over here, hadn't you?" he said, narrowing his eyes and waiting. 

"I don't think I should," she said, biting her lip. "I think that you should get a shower and get dressed." 

"Oh you do, huh? Right now?" He watched as she nodded and then he flipped the covers back and slid out of bed, walking slowly over to her while her eyes tried not to stare and failed. 

"Now darlin', you keep staring at me like that and I'm gonna have to do somethin' about it," he drawled, trapping her against the wall and putting his hands either side of her head. 

"You should really get dressed," she said breathlessly, having problems keeping her eyes on his face. 

"I guess I should. But if I did that I wouldn't get to see this beautiful colour on your face, now would I?" he pointed out, bending down so he could capture her lips in a tender kiss that instantly made her melt. He moved his arms down and pulled her up against him and Amy felt her feet leave the floor as his powerful arms enfolded her. 

He kissed her until she was hanging limply against him and then he carried her over to the bathroom. "You showered yet?" he asked her huskily. She nodded and he slowly put her down next to the shower cubicle. "Damn." 

"What?" she asked, wondering why he looked so pissed all of a sudden. 

"I was gonna drag you in the shower with me. I guess I could take a bath instead," he mused, staring at the bathtub and nodding. "Yep, that's what I'll do. That way you can wash my back for me can't you?" 

He didn't give her a chance to answer, he simply starting filling the tub and then started rifling through the small cabinet on the wall. "Well, Vince sure knows how to kit out a guest room," he said, pulling out a brand new toothbrush and a razor. "Now I can make myself look even more devastatingly handsome than normal!" 

"You'll be getting a big head, talking like that," Amy said, glancing at his firm backside as he faced the sink. 

"Honey, I already have a big head, and if I remember correctly, you were treating it like a lollipop last night," he said, his eyes glinting at hers in the mirror. 

"A lollipop?" she asked, frowning in confusion. "I don't...oh!" she choked out, still easily shocked at the way he talked. 

"What?" he asked innocently, his grin ruining the look. 

"Will you stop being rude!" she ordered, wondering whether to stay in the room with him or not. She didn't know how to handle such blunt speaking, although she knew that she would probably get used to it eventually. 

Mark could see she was on the edge of leaving the room and he chuckled, loading his toothbrush up with toothpaste and starting to clean his teeth. When he had finished he filled the sink and unwrapped the razor. "Okay, sweetheart, I'll try not to be so rude, okay?" 

"Okay," she mumbled, watching him helplessly as he shaved off the nights' growth of beard, carefully moving the razor around his goatee. When he had finished he dried his face and patted it with a towel, turning to face her, which immediately made her go red. It was one thing staring at his backside, it was quite another when he turned around, she decided. 

"There, do I look better?" he asked her, checking the bath water and turning off the faucet when he found it was the right temperature. 

"Mmm-hmm," she mumbled, trying not to look as embarrassed as she felt. 

He stood looking at her for a second, his lips twisted thoughtfully. "Want me to get in the bath?" he asked, smiling when she hurriedly nodded, her eyes averted the whole time he climbed into the tub. She only looked back at him when he was safely submerged under the water, although there were no bubbles to cover him up. 

She frowned when he groaned, stretching his arms over his head and trying to work out the kinks in his muscles. He often woke up sore and needed time to straighten himself out, and this morning was no exception. He had managed to hide his discomfort from her so far, but the warm water was making his tense muscles suddenly relax and he couldn't help shifting about to get in a more comfortable position. His eyes were closed and he was frowning, but they flew open when he heard her voice coming from right next to him. 

"Are you okay?" she asked him, worried by the fact that he looked like he was in pain. She had moved and sat next to the tub, wondering what she could do for him to get that look off his face. 

He managed a small smile and sighed. "I'm okay, I just get a few muscle problems in the mornings when I've been wrestling. It's nothing," he said, relaxing his head back against the tub. 

"It's not nothing. Does it hurt a lot?" 

He stared at her face, surprised to find concern there and not pity. "Quite a bit I guess, I'm sort of used to it now. My hips are the worst though, I'll eventually have to have them replaced." He smiled ruefully at her shocked expression. "It ain't just old folk who have to have that operation, y'know. I've been thrown and landed hard a few times too many, and my body is starting to show it." 

"But you seem so fine, you don't move stiffly or anything," she said, confused. 

"I am fine, most of the time. Mornings are worse, and any place cold can be murder," he explained, shrugging like it was the most normal thing in the world. 

Amy bit her lip and tried not to look too worried. "Will you be okay? Can I do anything to make you feel better?" 

Mark frowned. Now there was the pity that had been missing, he thought, irritated. "I ain't sick, you know, there's no cause to treat me like a fucking invalid!" he snapped, his eyes sparking. 

Amy's mouth shut with an audible click and she stared at him, feeling her temper start to flare, something it hadn't done for years. "Well, excuse me for caring! Don't worry about it happening again! And don't you swear at me!" she said tightly and stood up, preparing to leave the room and let him drown himself in the bath, before she did it for him. 

Mark watched her go in amazement. Wow. Vince had said she had a temper, but she was usually so meek that he didn't think he'd ever see it. He sighed and quickly washed himself. The long soak he needed would have to wait, it was more important that he found her and apologised for snapping at her. She had only been concerned about him, after all. 

He walked into the bedroom a few minutes later with only a towel wrapped around his hips, but she wasn't in there and he hurriedly pulled his clothes on and went in search of her. He noticed that the breakfast things weren't there and that she had made the bed for him, something that brought a smile to his mouth. Even though he had made her mad, she had still cleared up after him. 

He eventually found her in the kitchen washing dishes, and he walked up behind her, fully intending to wrap his arms around her. But she heard him coming and she swung around, glaring at him and then lowering her eyes and wiping her hands on the dish cloth, obviously intent on ignoring him. He raised his eyebrows and wondered if he could get a rise out of her. "Is there any coffee going?" he asked her, leaning back on the counter and folding his arms, looking impossibly arrogant. 

Amy stared at him aghast. He snapped at her and now he expected her to make him coffee? She went over to the filter machine and pointed at it. "There's the machine, the coffee's in that cupboard. Help yourself. I'm going to work," she said stiffly, marching out of the room. 

"And how are you gonna get there, little girl?" he called after her, his eyes crinkling with amusement. 

She could hear the laughter in his voice and it made her even madder. "I'll get a cab," she said, stopping by the telephone in the hallway and picking up the telephone directory. 

"Uh-uh, I don't think so. Vince would be real mad if you took a cab, remember what he said about it being dangerous? And I happen to agree with him." he said, joining her in the hall. 

She narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Then I'll call Vince and have him pick me up," she said sulkily, not looking at him. 

"Why waste his time? Why not just take his rental? It's sitting there in the driveway." 

"I can't drive, that's why not," she explained and watched as his eyebrows shot up. 

"You can't drive?_ Everyone_ can drive," he said. 

"No they can't, I can't." She stared at him as he chuckled. "It isn't funny!" she snapped, her hands itching to hit him. "Fine, I'll walk!" she said roughly, throwing the dishcloth she was still holding at his chest. 

She went to walk out of the house and Mark grabbed her shoulders, spinning her back towards him, his eyes laughing down at her. "You ain't walking anywhere, you're coming with me," he said, trying not to laugh at her furious expression. 

"I don't want to go anywhere with you! Let go of me," she said, trying to twist out of his hold. 

"My God, Vince wasn't wrong when he said you had a temper! Keep still," he said, trying to stop her squirming. He eventually gave a sigh and just picked her up with his hands on her waist, holding her up in front of him until she stopped moving and glared at him. 

"Typical...arrogant..." she muttered, earning a laugh from the huge man holding her. She acted without even thinking and the sharp sound of a slap echoed around the hallway as her hand connected with his cheek. 

He put her down instantly and Amy stared at him, her mouth hanging open in shock. She couldn't believe she had hit him, couldn't believe that she would ever have the guts to hit a man of any size, let alone one this big. The fleeting courage deserted her as her face went white when he looked at her and she backed up a couple of steps, trying to avoid his angry glare. 

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, her voice shaking, and Mark frowned down at her. 

"You think I'm gonna hit you back don't you?" he asked her, cocking his head to one side as he studied her. 

He didn't wait for her to answer him, he simply moved away from her and stalked out of the door, slamming it so hard behind him that it rattled in it's frame. Amy was so relieved that he hadn't retaliated that she burst into tears, sitting on the bottom step of the staircase and giving vent to her feelings. With some effort she managed to pull herself together a few minutes later, and she hauled herself upstairs to clean her face up so she could get to work. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen 

She paid the cab driver as he pulled up in front of the Arena and quickly made her way into the building and through to the wardrobe department. Tammy was busy hanging various different outfits up around the large room and she glanced up as Amy walked in and sat down. 

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully, smoothing one of the outfits down and admiring it. "How are you on this fine and sunny day?" She turned and looked at Amy for the first time and her face fell. "What's on earth's the matter?" she asked, taking in the pale face and slightly red eyes. 

Amy shook her head and sighed. "Nothing. It doesn't matter. Can we...can we just get on with some work?" 

Tammy stared at her for a few minutes and then shrugged. "Okay, but if you want to talk about anything, then I'm here, okay?" 

"Thanks," Amy said, and followed Tammy over to a large bolt of material that she was going to use for several of the outfits. After getting some instructions on what to do, she settled down to work and used the complicated patterns to take her mind off her own worries. 

She didn't realise how much time was going past until Tammy tapped her on the shoulder and told her it was time for lunch. 

"Oh, I'm not really hungry, I'll just stay here. But thanks," she added quickly. 

Tammy looked at her with concern. "Please tell me what the matter is. You were so happy last night, what happened?" 

"I told you, it's..." 

"Nothing, right, I know. It doesn't look like nothing to me. Did Mark...Amy, did Mark hurt you in some way?" she asked carefully. 

"No! No, he hasn't hurt me," Amy said and her shoulders slumped. "I just...oh, I don't know. He made me mad and then I hit him...I can't believe I hit him." 

"You hit him? _You_ hit _him_? Oh my God," Tammy said, staring at her with big eyes. "What did he do?" 

"That's just it, he didn't do anything. He just left. I thought he was going to hit me," she said softly. 

"Did he look like he was going to hit you?" 

"No. He was so angry, but he didn't shout or anything. So, I guess that's over before it's even begun, isn't it?" she asked sadly, trying not to cry again. 

"Not necessarily, although I can imagine he wouldn't be too happy being hit like that," Tammy said, sitting next to Amy and hugging her. "You should find him and talk." 

"I don't think it would do any good," she answered miserably. 

"You'll never know if you don't try, but I'm not going to force you. I am going to force you to eat though. Come on, I happen to know that Glenn and Mark have a meeting about now, so they won't be in the cafeteria," she said, crossing her fingers behind her back. 

"Okay," Amy said, standing up and making her way reluctantly to the cafeteria with Tammy. There were a few wrestlers dotted about when they got there, but not Mark, so Amy relaxed a tiny bit, looking at the food on display without much enthusiasm. 

"Excuse me?" a deep voice said behind her and she swung around to be confronted by the gigantic man who had carried her into the ring a few nights before. Her eyes widened and she backed away from him warily. 

"No, no," he said, holding his hands out placatingly. "I just wanted to say I was sorry, y'know, about what happened before? I never meant to scare you like that, it was just a mix up." 

Amy was speechless for a few seconds, just staring at him. He was so enormous and yet he looked genuinely contrite. "It's okay," she said, giving a small smile. "Mark explained it to me, it just shocked me a bit." 

He looked relieved. "Well, thanks for being so understanding. I'm Paul, by the way, Paul Wight," he said and stuck out one enormous hand. 

Amy took it hesitantly and he shook her hand enthusiastically, nearly wrenching her shoulder from its' socket. "I'm Amy Travis, pleased to meet you," she said, relaxing and really smiling for a change. 

"You too. Hey, can I join you two for lunch?" he asked, looking eagerly from one of them to another. 

"It's okay by me," Tammy said, raising her eyebrows at Amy. "You?" 

"Sure," Amy said, shrugging. 

They all selected what they would be eating and then sat at one of the tables. Amy had decided to have a small salad, it was all she really felt like anyway, but she almost laughed at what Paul was eating. He had enough food on his tray for ten people and he was tucking in with gusto. He glanced up at her when he became aware she was staring at him. "What?" he asked. 

"With most people I'd ask them where they were putting it all, but with you it's pretty obvious," she said, smiling. He smiled back at her and then gestured to her small plate of food. 

"Well, at least I don't eat like a bird! That isn't enough to feed a mouse," he said, shaking his head. 

"For once we agree on something," a deep voice said from behind Amy and she turned her head to look up into deep green eyes, not knowing what to say. 

"Hey Mark," Paul said, oblivious to the sudden tension at the table. 

"Paul," he nodded, "Tammy." 

He stared down at Amy with a stern expression on his face, taking in all of the emotions in her eyes that she couldn't hide. He had been feeling some of them himself and he hadn't liked it one bit. He felt like a heel for the way he had acted and he was still angry that she had slapped him, even though he figured he deserved it. He rolled his shoulders and then his neck, rotating his sore muscles from his practice with Glenn that morning, then he sighed. It wasn't something he was used to, feeling guilty, but that's exactly how he felt at that moment. That, and an acute sense of loss. At least he could do something about that, he thought, and grabbed hold of Amy, pulling her right out of her chair and up against him, her feet dangling in mid-air. 

"What..." she managed to get out, before his mouth came down on hers and he kissed her in front of the entire cafeteria, not caring who was watching. He kissed her for so long that he eventually heard small laughs and comments being thrown around and he broke it off, still holding her up off the floor. 

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, rubbing his nose against hers. 

"Me too, I didn't mean to hit you," she whispered back and buried her head in his neck, her arms clinging to him. She felt him give a slight shudder and squeeze her a bit tighter, his breath deep and uneven. 

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said, putting her down but keeping hold of her hand. She noticed that he had a stain of colour high up on his cheekbones and he looked uncomfortable with everyone staring at them. 

He didn't say anything to anyone else before he dragged her out of the room and down the corridors towards his dressing room, making her run to keep up with him as he was walking so fast. "Out," he ordered Glenn as they walked in the room, earning himself a look of surprise from the other man. 

"Well, excuse the hell out of me," Glenn said amiably, winking at Amy and grinning as he left them alone. 

As soon as the door closed behind him, Mark picked her up and wrapped her in a hug again, nuzzling her neck, not saying a word. Amy laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, linking her arms behind his neck and simply enjoying the closeness. After a few minutes he sat down with her on his lap, still cuddling her. 

"You didn't hit me," she whispered. 

"Ah, hell, of course I didn't hit you. I don't have to hit a woman to prove what a big man I am, only a coward does that," he said, drawing back enough to look in her eyes. "I very nearly put you over my knee though, if you want the truth." 

Amy stared at him aghast. "Over your knee?" 

"Oh yeah, you very nearly got a damn good whupping. Good job I'm so even tempered ain't it?" he said, grinning. 

"You were going to spank me?" she asked, still surprised. "That's...you can't do things like that!" 

He raised an eyebrow. "No? But you can just go around slapping me?" 

She smiled guiltily. "No, I'm sorry about that. I didn't even know I was going to do it, but you made me so mad!" 

"I noticed. Well, you get this one for free honey, but you hit me again and I will paddle that cute little backside, so don't say I didn't warn you!" 

Amy sat looking at him seriously, wondering whether to be angry at his high handed attitude or not. She decided that she quite liked the fact that he was so dominant and she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder again, relaxing. "Okay, I won't do it again," she said obligingly. 

"Mmm-hmm. Not even if I make you really mad?" he asked her, a smile tilting his firm lips up. 

"Well...I guess not," she mumbled, wondering if she'd actually be able to refrain from hitting him again. After all, he had only irritated her a little bit today, and she was sure he could be a whole lot worse. 

"I guess we're gonna have to wait and see what happens in the future then aren't we? I think you could be a proper little hellion, given the chance," he said, shaking his head and wondering what he was letting himself in for. "What are you doing this afternoon?" 

"Working," she said, almost falling asleep against his shoulder. 

"Well, yeah, I know that. Can you get an hour off?" 

"Probably. Why?" 

"Me and Glenn have to do some more practice for tonight's match, I thought you might like to come and watch?" 

Amy sat up and stared at him with excited eyes. "I can come and watch? There won't be any people there?" 

He smiled slowly. "No, just me and Glenn, maybe a few technicians walking around doing their stuff. How about it?" 

"I'd love to! What time?" 

"I'm not sure just yet. How about I come and get you when we're ready?" he asked, watching as she nodded. "Good. Now, I saw what you ordered for your lunch and you didn't even get to eat it, so let's get back to the cafeteria so I can feed you." 

He stood up and lifted her with him, standing her on her feet and dropping a kiss on her lips before taking her hand. She was surprised when he walked all the way to the cafeteria still holding her small hand in his, and her face showed her feelings quite clearly. She stood quietly as he filled two plates for them and then carried the tray to the table, shoving her gently along in front of him. People were giving them covert glances, she noticed, and she felt herself blush, sitting down with relief and ducking her head. 

"Hey," Mark said softly, hooking a finger underneath her chin and lifting it up so she had to look at him. "What's the matter?" 

"Everyone's staring," she said in a whisper, her eyes big. 

Mark laughed and then looked around at the other occupants of the large room, noticing how they quickly averted their gazes. "Not any more they're not. Besides, why shouldn't they look? You're beautiful." 

Her colour got deeper and she looked down. "They're looking at you, not me," she said. 

"No. They're looking at both of us, but mostly you. They want to know who the woman is who's got me wrapped around her little finger," he said wryly, smiling. "Now they know." 

"But I haven't..." she began, then stopped at his mock glare. 

"Yes, you have," he said, putting her plate in front of her and handing her a fork. "But don't think you can use it to your advantage, because you can't. I'm not gonna be treated like someone's pet," he said, not looking particularly annoyed. He loaded her fork up with food and lifted it to her mouth. "Now come on, eat." 

Amy obediently opened her mouth and he carefully put the food inside, his eyes watching her mouth intently. She gave a playful smile when she had swallowed the food. "I wouldn't mind taking you for walks, although I doubt I could find a collar big enough to fit your thick neck," she said, grinning. 

Mark's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. "You think that's funny?" 

She nodded, grabbing the fork from him and continuing to eat, suddenly realising how hungry she was. "I could just picture you on a leash," she murmured, glancing up at him and noting he had started eating his own food, although he didn't say another word. 

By the time they had finished their meal she was wondering whether she had really insulted him, he seemed very quiet. "Finished?" he asked pleasantly. 

"Yes, and it was lovely, thank you," she said, equally politely, her eyes holding a worried look as she studied him. 

He sat back in his chair and stared back at her, his eyes narrowing and the corners of his mouth tilting upwards. "You know I'm adding these little insults up don't you?" 

"Adding them up? I didn't know pets were that intelligent...although they do say that dogs...oh!" she gasped when he pulled her up out of her seat. She hadn't even seen him get up he had been so quick. 

"And there's another one to add to my list. Oh, you are gonna pay for this, you know," he said, taking her hand and marching back down the corridor. 

"Pay for it?" she asked breathlessly, rushing to keep up with him. 

"Mmm-hmm, and I know just how to make you pay, too." He continued down the maze of corridors until they were standing outside the wardrobe department door. 

"How?" 

"Hmm? Oh, how am I gonna make you pay? Well, that's for me to know, and you to find out. And you're gonna find out real soon!" he said, bending to give her a quick kiss before smiling wickedly and stalking away. "I'll come for you later," he called. 

Amy let herself into the workroom and found Glenn standing with his back to her and two very feminine arms wrapped around his neck. They didn't seem to have heard her come in the room and she cleared her throat loudly, watching as they broke apart and turned to look at her, both of them looking dazed. 

Glenn smiled a bit sheepishly and then shrugged, putting Tammy down and dropping another soft kiss on her lips before he turned and left the room, promising he'd come and get Tammy later. 

"What's he coming to get you for?" Amy asked her. 

"He asked me to come watch him practice. I can't wait! I've seen him before, of course, but I usually stayed hidden so he wouldn't catch me ogling him. Now I can do it openly!" 

"Mark asked me to come and watch too, he said he'd come and get me later," Amy said, smiling, happy that the other girl would be there. 

"Well, then, we'd better get some work done hadn't we? I'll go and ask Vince if it'll be okay us taking a break later," Tammy said, starting to organise some work they had to get done. 

"I can go and ask him, it's okay," Amy said. "I'll go now, then we can get on with some of this." 

Tammy nodded and Amy left the room, making her way carefully to Vince's office, wondering if she'd ever get used to the layout of the place. Not that it mattered, she mused, because as soon as she did they'd be going somewhere else. She knocked on Vince's door, hearing voices in the room beyond, and waited until he called out to come in before she opened the door. 

Vince was sitting behind his desk as usual and a big dark-haired wrestler was sitting across from him, his back to Amy. She smiled at the older man as he held his hand out to her. 

"Hi Peaches, what you been doing?" 

"Just working and stuff," she turned and glanced quickly at the other man in the room, her eyes widening when she saw it was the man who had caught her when Paul Wight had thrown her in the ring. He looked at her curiously, smiling in a friendly way and not looking remotely intimidating like he had before. 

Vince watched to see what her reaction would be to seeing Dwayne again, and was pleased that she looked only a little nervous, not downright scared as she would have been only a few days before. Being here with them was doing her good, he thought. "You remember Dwayne don't you, Amy? The big lug who threatened you the other night?" 

Amy nodded and Dwayne gave a grin, standing up to tower over her, extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, nice to meet you properly at last. I've heard a damn lot about you." 

She let him take her hand and he shook it gently. When she didn't speak he cocked one eyebrow. "And you are?" he prompted. 

"Oh! Oh sorry, I'm Amy Travis," she said hesitantly. 

"Well, like I said, nice to meet you Amy Travis. So are the rumours I hear true?" he asked her, giving her a devilish smile. 

"What rumours?" Vince cut in, frowning. 

"Oh, you know, standard stuff. Like how Mark is completely besotted with this tiny little red-haired beauty," he said, widening his eyes dramatically at her. 

"Oh those rumours," Vince said, nodding. "Yeah, they're pretty much true." 

Amy stared at the two men with her mouth hanging open. "He isn't besotted with me," she said. 

"No, of course he isn't. He always threatens to take my head off when I grab someone he _isn't_ besotted with. I had to do some fast talking to get out of that one," Dwayne said, grinning. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. I felt real bad having scared you like that, but Mark wouldn't allow me near enough to apologise before now. Well, I guess he probably doesn't know we're face to face right now, either, otherwise he'd be trying to kick my ass all over the room!" 

Vince looked at Amy, smiling when he saw how stunned she looked. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked her, distracting her attention away from Dwayne. 

"Oh, yeah, well, Tammy and I wanted to know if it would be okay to have an hour off later on?" 

Vince raised an eyebrow and then narrowed his eyes. "What for?" 

"Just...er..." she risked a quick glance at the other man and found he was staring at her, obviously interested in what she was going to say. "Well, we were going to go down and watch some wrestling practice," she said quietly, not wanting to admit that she was going to see Mark, not with the way they were teasing her about him. 

"Practice huh? Now, let me see, who's practising this afternoon?" Vince rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then looked at Dwayne. "You got any idea who's going to be down there?" 

"Oh, yeah, I've got a good idea who'll be there," Dwayne said, his grin getting wider by the second. 

Amy found herself getting slightly irritated and wondered where all this temper was coming from all of a sudden. "Can we?" she prompted, looking only at Vince. 

"Well, of course you can honey. Just as soon as you tell me who it is you're going to be watching," he said, leaning back in his chair and looking smug. 

"You know who I'll be watching!" she said, getting even more irritated. 

"And who might that be? Not some huge wrestler who just happens to be covered in tattoos, by any chance?" 

"It might be," she mumbled, feeling her cheeks burning as the two men smiled. 

"What, the one who isn't besotted with you?" Dwayne asked. "Did he ask you to come and watch him?" 

"Yes," she answered tightly. 

"That's pretty unusual," Dwayne said to Vince. 

"It sure is. Mark doesn't normally like anyone watching him practice. But then, there could be any number of reasons why he asked you to go see him," Vince said, raising his eyebrows. "But obviously not because he's besotted with you," he added, giving her a knowing look and then laughing at her embarrassment. 

"He isn't!" she protested, not wanting to be in the room anymore. 

"No? Next you'll be telling me you're not besotted with him either," Vince said. "I heard about the incident in the cafeteria earlier, by the way. Seems you two put on a pretty good show." 

Amy closed her eyes briefly and wondered how to get out of the room without anyone noticing. If only she had the power to just disappear. Vince watched her expressions carefully and relented. She would get used to being teased in time, just now she was still partially stuck in her childhood memories, but he could see that Mark was good for her. 

"Honey, you can have the entire afternoon if you like. I keep up with things, you know, and I happen to know that Tammy has most of the costumes finished and the ones she's working on now aren't needed 'til we get to Connecticut. So tell her to take some time, and enjoy yourselves okay?" 

Amy tried not to show how relieved she was. "Thanks Vince," she said softly, giving a small smile to Dwayne and hurriedly leaving the room. 

"She's sweet," Dwayne said to the older man when she had gone. "A little bit shy though, huh?" 

"Yeah, well she has good reason to be. You really think Mark's fallen for her?" 

"Head over heels!" Dwayne confirmed. "He used to be bad enough when he was defending Sara's 'good' name, but with this girl Amy, he almost tore my head off for what me and Paul did. I'm sure after I've said sorry to him another hundred times he'll let up!" 

"He's really been that bad?" 

"Hell, yeah, if anything he's been worse!" Dwayne shook his head. "But I can see why. She's sweet and she wouldn't be able to cope with us lot on her own, she needs a protector. I'd feel the same if my wife was here." 

"Yeah, but Mark and Amy aren't married," Vince pointed out. 

"True. But I wouldn't mind placing a bet that they will be," Dwayne said with a grin and Vince laughed, nodding his head ruefully. 

_***Thanks for all the reviews!! Just one point, if you're from America you may think my spelling is crap, but that's how we spell things over in England don't ya know! Like practice....I think you spell it practise? So, I'm not being thick, honest!!!!!!***_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen 

Amy rushed off to tell Tammy that they had the entire afternoon off, laughing at the other girl's obvious delight. "Oooh, I can get to ogle Glenn all afternoon. I think he was coming to get me in about an hour anyway, so how about we clear up and go find them instead?" 

Amy agreed readily and they put all their work away, making sure the room was spotless. "I'm going to miss working with you," Amy admitted, staring at the other girl. "You're the first real friend I've ever had." 

"And you're mine. I don't really make friend's very easily and I'll miss you as well. Not half as much as Mark will though, I expect! Still, it's only a couple of weeks and then we get to stay at one place for four whole weeks! That will be bliss, not having to do all that travelling!" She took a last look around the room and grabbed Amy's arm. "Come on, let's go find those two huge hunks!" 

They walked through the arena's corridors, looking in different rooms to see where the men were, eventually ending up at their dressing room. "Guess we should have looked here first?" Tammy said, shaking her head and knocking on the door. 

"Come in," Mark's deep voice called out, sounding impatient. 

"He doesn't sound too happy," Tammy murmured, grimacing as she opened the door and the two girls walked inside. Glenn was standing muttering to himself whilst he looked at his reflection, turning this way and that and then shrugging. 

"What's the matter?" Tammy asked him, coming up behind him and making him jump. 

"Hell, I didn't even hear you come in!" he said, swinging round to grab her shoulders and pull her up against him, a big grin spreading across his face. 

"That's because you were too busy looking at yourself in the mirror, as usual," she pointed out, letting her eyes roam appreciatively over his huge chest. "What were you muttering about?" 

"I've got a zit," he moaned, pointing to a big red spot that had appeared on his forehead. "And there's another one here," he added, pointing to his bare chest. He grinned again when he saw Tammy's eyes transfixed on the broad expanse of naked flesh. "Want to help me squeeze them?" he asked, giving her a goofy look when she grimaced and then dragging her into the bathroom and slamming the door behind them. 

Mark shook his head with a small smile and turned to look at Amy, who was standing just inside the door. "What ya doin' all the way over there darlin'?" he drawled, crooking his finger and motioning her over to him with a wicked look. 

Amy chewed her lip and moved slowly towards him, still thinking about what he had said earlier about making her pay for her insults. When she reached the couch and went to sit down, he grabbed her arm and pulled her over to him, sitting her on his lap and closing his massive arms around her, trapping her against his chest with a deep sigh. "Hmm, this feels good," he said, his voice deep. 

Amy frowned and managed to move her head enough to glance up at him. His eyes were closed and he had a frown line between his eyebrows. "Are you okay? You sounded annoyed when we knocked." 

His eyes opened and looked down into hers. "I'm fine, honey, just a couple of aches is all." 

She opened her mouth to offer to help, but then remembered what had happened that morning and closed it again, deciding that any such offer wouldn't be well received. Mark saw the small movement and sighed again. "What?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows. 

She shook her head. "Nothing," she mumbled. 

"Yeah, it is. Come on, say what you were gonna say, I ain't gonna bite your head off this time!" 

"I was just going to ask if I could help...maybe give you a massage or something?" she said hesitantly. 

Mark looked at her in surprise. "You can give massages?" 

"Well, no, I haven't before, but I thought that maybe..." she trailed off and then shrugged uncomfortably. "It doesn't matter, it was just a thought." 

Mark grinned at her. "Well, it was a good thought. And since you've asked, yes you can give me a massage. It doesn't matter that you haven't done it before, I can tell you what feels good." 

Glenn and Tammy walked out of the bathroom at that point and Glenn laughed. "Haven't done what before? And I just bet you can tell her what feels good!" 

Mark shot the other man a poisonous look. "Get your mind out of the gutter. We were talking about her giving me a massage!" 

"Oh okay," Glenn said amiably. "On what part of your body?" 

"Glenn, I swear to God...!" Mark bit off, glaring at him. 

"Okay, okay, I take back every filthy insinuation! Me and Tammy are going down to the ring, see you there in fifteen?" Glenn asked, ushering Tammy out of the room and slamming the door behind him. 

"Sorry about that," Mark said, trying not to smile at the way Glenn had acted. "He can be a stupid big bastard sometimes!" 

"Mark!" 

"Aw, what? Am I getting told off about my language again?" he said, grinning cockily. 

"Yes you are!" 

"Ya gonna punish me little girl?" he asked her, his voice a deep drawl that made her shiver. 

"Well...I guess I could refuse to take you for a walk..." she said, smiling cockily right back at him. 

Mark raised his eyebrows and gave her a truly evil smile. "That's another one I owe you. That's about...oooh...four insults I've counted so far, so that's four points you've earned yourself. You got some payback coming your way pretty soon." 

She tried to look braver than she felt. "I'm so scared!" she said sarcastically, making a laugh burst out of him before he controlled himself. He stood up, taking her with him and then stood her on her feet, looming over her. "You should be scared, darlin', you should be real scared!" he growled, rolling his eyes up into his head and sticking his tongue out at her. 

Amy recognised his old Undertaker gestures and giggled, giving him a shove that didn't move him an inch. "Oh, and now she attacks me?" he asked the room, putting his hands on his hips and glaring at her. "That's five! Come on let's get down to the ring and you can watch me and Glenn throw each other about!" 

"I thought you wanted a massage?" she asked in confusion. 

"Yeah, well, maybe Glenn had a point. If you start touching me I might have to start guiding your hands to one particular muscle..." he trailed off and laughed as she went red. "That being the case, we'd better get out of this room, hmm?" 

"Okay," she agreed, partly relieved to get out of the room and partly disappointed. Still, she was looking forward to watching him wrestle from the ringside instead of just on television. He took her hand and tugged her along with him until they reached the ring. Amy stared around her with her mouth open, trying to take it all in. The auditorium was huge, row upon row of seats stretching back into the semi-darkness as far as she could see, all centring on the ring itself. 

"It's much bigger than I imagined," she murmured as they made their way down the aisle towards where Glenn was trying to tug Tammy into the ring. 

"You were here the other night, though," Mark pointed out. 

"Yeah, I know, but I didn't really notice it then," she said as they stopped next to the steps. 

"Gonna get in the ring with me?" Mark asked her, cocking one eyebrow. 

Amy thought about it for a few seconds. "I don't think so, you might use it as an excuse to pay me back for my insults, and I wouldn't have a hope of winning against you in there!" 

He bent down and playfully bit her neck. "What makes you think you could win against me anywhere else either?"  
She yelped and shoved him off her, smiling when he threw his hands up and shook his head. "There you go attacking me again! That's six," he said, stepping up on the ringside and quickly ducking under the top rope to join Glenn, who had been unsuccessful at getting Tammy in the ring with him. 

Amy walked over and joined the other girl and they leaned against the side, watching as the two enormous men started trading blows, bouncing off the ropes and generally leaping about. Tammy sighed as she stared at Glenn. "Aren't they great?" 

Amy nodded dreamily as she watched Mark grab Glenn's throat and push him into a corner, looking ferocious. He looked down briefly at Amy and his face softened instantly, a small smile curving his mouth. Glenn took advantage of his sudden loosening grip and shoved him away, picking him up and holding him over his head, grinning down at Tammy as he did so. 

"Ya damn show-off," Mark growled down at him. "Put me the hell down!" 

"Keep talking like that and I'll throw you out of the ring," Glenn threatened, grinning inanely. 

Amy heard what he said and she rushed over to the steps, climbing up them and leaning over the top rope. "Glenn, don't you dare!" 

"Yeah, Glenn, don't you dare," Mark said mockingly, feeling the younger man's arms start to shake under the strain of holding his weight up for so long. 

"You big girl!" Glenn mocked. "You need a woman to protect you now?" 

"Boy, you're in for some pain when I get out of this!" Mark said, trying not to smile. 

"Glenn, put him down!" Tammy said, joining Amy. 

"Why don't you make me?" Glenn said, raising his eyebrows at the blonde girl. 

Tammy looked at Amy and started laughing. "Come on, let's get him!" 

She climbed under the ropes and waited for Amy and then, with a mutual nod, they rushed him, starting to tickle him under his arms. He was in just the perfect position and he had no defence at all. Caught between wanting to put his arms down and not wanting to hurt Mark, he tried walking away from them. "I'm going to drop him!" he warned through his laughter as he tried to get away from their nimble fingers. 

They stopped their tickling and Tammy stood with her hands on her hips. "Well, you'd better put him down now then, because I haven't finished with you yet!" 

"That so?" he asked, lowering Mark and throwing him back on his feet, before he turned to Tammy with his arms crossed over his chest. "Want to try doing that again?" 

"Uh-oh, I think we're in trouble," Tammy said to Amy with a huge grin, quickly darting to the other side of the ring. Glenn was quicker than her and he caught her and lifted her off the ground. 

Amy laughed as she watched their antics and then realised that Mark was standing just behind her, staring down at her with his hands planted on his hips. "What?" she asked warily, wondering why he looked like he had just won a battle. 

"I suppose I should be grateful that you tried to 'rescue' me from Glenn? Maybe take away some of those points you've added up?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. 

Amy nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds like a good idea!" 

"Hmm, I just bet it does. Well, seeing as how you were being so brave, maybe I'll take away one point," he murmured, pursing his lips. 

"Only one? I was being _really_ brave you know!" Amy said hopefully, smiling up at him in a winning fashion, then giving a mock frown when he didn't seem moved. "If I hadn't been here, you could still be in real trouble you know. What with you being _so_ much older than Glenn and all!" 

"Oh, you did _not_ just insult me about my age again!" he growled, reaching out and grabbing her waist to haul her up in the air in front of him. "Now not only am I not going to deduct any points, but I'm gonna add an extra two! That makes eight!" 

Amy grabbed his shoulders. "That's not fair!" 

"You should have thought about that before you insulted me again!" he growled, narrowing his eyes on her suddenly defiant expression. "Don't even think about it, little girl!" 

Amy's eyes widened. "What are you, a mind reader or something?" 

He smirked at her. "Something like that. Why? Are you gonna deny that you were about to insult me yet again?" He waited for her to answer, but when she remained silent he just grinned at her. "I didn't think so! Well, since you're finally in 'my yard', then I guess it's payback time!" 

She stared at him warily. "What are you going to do?" 

"Worried?" he asked smugly, his smirk getting bigger. 

She glared at him. "Not at all!" 

"Oh really?" he said, lifting her higher and then dropping her over his shoulder, his hand coming up to give her a light slap on the backside. 

"Mark, you put me down!" she gasped out, pushing at his back. 

"Nope!" 

"Mark, so help me, if you don't put me down, right now..I'll...!" she said, her words stopping when he suddenly placed her on her feet in the corner, his arms holding the ropes either side of her so she couldn't get away. 

"You'll what?" he asked softly, looking genuinely interested. He bent and gave her a soft kiss, his hands moving to her arms to hold them out at her sides. He had her so distracted that she didn't notice that he was pulling the ropes up to trap her arms in between them, not until he stopped kissing her. 

When she tried to move she found her arms outstretched, being held by the ropes either side of the turnbuckle, and she looked up at him, her mouth dropping open as he stood there with his arms folded over his huge chest. "What are you doing?" 

"Paying you back, of course. I thought it might be easier if you were helpless..." he said, smiling and placing his hands on her waist. He ran his fingers lightly up and down her sides and her eyes widened when she realised what he was up to. 

"Mark," she said hesitantly, "don't you dare..." 

It was too late. With an evil smile he started tickling her and she lost all control, laughing hysterically and trying to get away, pleading with him to stop. "Got a problem honey?" he asked her, a huge grin on his face as he mercilessly tickled her. 

"Mark...please..." she gasped out, her ribs actually aching from laughing so hard. 

He slowed down the pace of his hands and bent down so his face was level with hers. "Now you know I like the sound of that," he murmured, his voice deep. "Your voice all husky and begging me...hmm, maybe I can think of a better punishment than this." 

Amy managed to catch her breath when he finally stopped tickling her and she glared up at him through watery eyes. "You mean you haven't finished yet?" 

"Not by a long shot. That was one, you still have seven coming to ya," he said arrogantly, staring down his nose at her as he straightened up. 

"That's not fair!" 

"You keep saying that. If you can't stand the heat, honey...you know what they say. Maybe you should have thought before attacking me?" He looked so smug as he looked down at her helpless form that she started frantically trying to get out of the ropes so she could attack him again. 

"Oooh, you let me out of here! I'm going to kill you when I get out of here...!" she threatened, narrowing her eyes on his face. 

Mark watched with amusement as she struggled, then sighed and untangled her from the ropes, stepping back quickly before she could hit him. "Temper, temper," he murmured, making her madder still, just as he'd known it would. 

She rushed at him, hitting him squarely in the stomach with both hands and making him stagger backwards. When he burst out laughing at her actions, she almost stamped her foot. "That the best you can do, baby?" he taunted her. 

She gritted her teeth and pushed him again, using all her strength, frustrated when he moved back only one step and grinned at her. "Come on, Amber, put me on the floor, if you think you can!" 

She looked him up and down and tried to decide how to put someone his size on the mat, but she couldn't figure it out. Maybe his legs, she decided, going up to him and grabbing his arms for support as she tried to pull his legs out from under him with her feet. Nothing worked. 

She noticed that Glenn and Tammy were standing watching them, both of them laughing at the impromptu performance, and Glenn motioned her to come over. "Want to know how to put him down?" he asked, bending to whisper in her ear. 

Mark watched them suspiciously and eyed Amy as she walked back over to him, her face serene. "What did he say to you?" 

"Nothing important, just saying what a weakling you are," she said with a smile, watching his eyes narrow. 

"That so? How weak do you think I am honey?" 

"Let's see shall we?" she asked and reached up a hand, running it gently through his hair and down the side of his face, taking him by surprise, her other hand running up and over his huge chest. His breath hissed in when she ran her nails lightly across his nipple. "You don't feel like a weakling," she murmured, studying his physique. "In fact, you feel wonderful, all firm and solid...come down here, please," she said softly, staring at his mouth. Mark forgot everything when she looked at him like that and he obediently bent down, receiving a quick kiss from her when he did so. She put her arms around his neck and caressed his shoulders, giving him another kiss on the lips followed by one on the cheek. Her mouth moved to his ear and bit his lobe gently, laving the small wound with her tongue in a sensual motion that made him groan. "Can you kneel down for me?" she asked, rubbing her face against his. 

She felt him give a deep shuddering sigh before he dropped quickly down onto his knees in front of her and wrapped his massive arms around her. It wasn't until he noticed her broad grin that he realised something was wrong. "What?" he asked, his tone hesitant. 

"I did it, I put you on the floor!" she said happily, trying to look superior. "You told me to put you on the floor, and there you are. And I didn't even have to use force!" she said gleefully. 

Mark rolled his eyes and pursed his lips in disgust. "That was really low," he told her, trying not to smile. 

"Well, you made it sound like I couldn't do it..." 

"You tricked me!" he said. "That wasn't fair!" 

"I thought that was my line?" she said, running her fingers through his hair again and enjoying the silky texture of it. 

"You know what? That point I took off for tickling you, I'm putting it back on!" he growled, leaning in to nuzzle her neck. 

"But I didn't do anything wrong!" she said, shuddering when he bit at the delicate skin between her neck and shoulder. "How many do I get anyway?" 

"You don't get more than ten," he said, looking impossibly arrogant even though he was on his knees in the middle of the ring holding her close to him. "We have to clear the numbers before you go over ten, and we're gonna start right now." 

"We are?" she asked, wondering what he was going to do now. 

"Oh, yeah," he murmured, closing in and kissing her deeply, not caring who was watching or how turned on he happened to get. 

When Amy was thinking she would pass out from a mix of pleasure and lack of oxygen he drew back and gave her a lopsided grin. "Okay, that cleared at least two," he told her. He stood up and pulled her with him. "Now, you want to clear the rest in one go?" 

"How do I do that?" she asked worriedly. 

"Simple," he said, holding her in front of him and smirking. "You put me down on the floor without using your feminine wiles to do it." 

"But I can't do that, you're too big!" she protested, giving him a disgusted look. 

"You know what they say, sweetheart, the bigger they come, the harder they fall. You can do it if you really put your mind to it." 

"Yeah, right. Maybe that would be true if I was anywhere near as big as you or if I knew any of the moves you do. I can't do it." 

"Sure you can. I tell you what, I'll keep one arm behind my back at all times okay?" he offered, slowly placing his arm behind him and smiling. 

"Well, okay. You promise you won't hurt me?" she asked him. 

"Of course I won't hurt you. Come on, give it your best shot!" He looked like he was really enjoying himself, she decided, as they circled one another. 

She bit her lip and looked him over, trying to find a weak spot, but the only one she knew of would cause him such pain that she would never even contemplate it. Every time she tried to get a little bit nearer he went to grab her and she dodged back again, starting to laugh now as she relaxed. Especially since he was looking down at her with sparkling eyes, quite obviously enjoying himself. 

Throwing caution to the wind she charged at him, but he neatly twirled, grabbed her arm and used her own momentum to push her smoothly into the ropes, making her bounce back at him so he could catch her, his free arm going around her waist from behind and bringing her back against his chest so he could curl his body over her. 

"Gotcha!" he growled in her ear, making her giggle at how fast he had managed to disable her. 

She relaxed against him and thought for a second, then quickly brought her foot up and then stamped it down on his toes, trying not to do it too hard, just enough to surprise him. He gave a yell and released her, lifting his foot up and hobbling about. She gave a grin of triumph and then grabbed his head whilst he was bent down enough for her to reach it, turning it to the side and getting hold of his earlobe and twisting it. "On your knees, boy," she told him, trying to copy his drawl. 

"Ow, ow, okay, okay!" he yelped, instantly falling to his knees, his head bent at a painful angle as he tried to get his ear out of her grasp. "Come on, honey, that really hurts," he pleaded, looking at her with soulful eyes. 

"I'll let go as soon as you admit defeat," she said, knowing full well he'd make her pay once she let him go. 

"I won't do that," he said, giving her a poisonous look. She twisted harder and he yelled, his eyes flashing at her. "Okay, you've got me beaten. Let go!" 

Glenn was laughing so hard that it was echoing around the auditorium, making Mark send him a furious look. Amy let go of him and rubbed his earlobe for him before rushing to get out of the ring. 

"Get back in here!" Mark bellowed at her, his eyes holding amusement which stopped her from getting scared. 

"No way, I know you, you'll try and get me back! Anyway, we're quits now, my points are wiped, right?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows. 

"Wiped? I'll give you wiped..." he threatened, vaulting easily out of the ring and starting towards her. 

Amy gave a small shriek and turned and ran, making her way as quickly as she could back up the ramp to the backstage area, oblivious of the laughs and amused glances she received from some of the workers nearby. 

She got to the end of the corridor and skidded to a stop. Okay, which way did she go from here, she thought, looking left and right and not recognising either way. The sound of Mark's footsteps rapidly approaching made her decide and she turned left and continued running, hearing him getting closer by the second. Before she had taken many more steps he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her clear off the floor, continuing his momentum until he had her in his dressing room. He stood looking down at her, his eyes narrowed and then he carried her into the bathroom, dumping her under one of the showers and turning it on. 

Amy screamed as the cold water cascaded over her head and she tried getting out from under the spray, but he kept her there with one big hand, the other leaning against the wall whilst he watched her. He gave a slight nod and turned off the shower at last, obviously satisfied that she was thoroughly drenched. He stood back and waited to see what her reaction would be. 

Amy looked down at herself and then up at him, seeing that same smug look on his face that had been there before. "I suppose you're happy now?" 

He nodded. "Yep, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself right now." 

"You...you...overgrown..." 

"One," he said, holding up one finger. 

"...pompous..." 

"Two." 

"...overbearing..." 

"Three." 

"...big headed..." 

"Ouch...four." 

"...dumb..." 

"five." 

"...cowboy!" she finished, stamping her foot. 

"Six. Actually, I don't mind the cowboy bit, so just five. Got any more insults for me?" he asked, grinning cockily. 

"I wouldn't waste my breath throwing any more insults at your thick skull!" she said, lifting her chin and glaring at him. 

"And yet there you go calling me names again. Well, that's six. But I guess I can wait until we meet up in Connecticut to get payback this time. I think you've had enough for today," he said. 

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him, blowing a strand of wet hair out of her eyes. "Maybe I don't want to meet up with you in Connecticut!" 

"Sure you do, honey," he returned easily, grabbing a towel off a nearby shelf and throwing it at her. "Better get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold." 

"I probably will catch a cold, then it'll turn into flu, then pneumonia and I'll die. Then I'll come back and haunt you!" she threatened, wiping her face with the towel. 

He raised his eyebrows. "As long as you're the sort of ghost that strips me naked and has her wicked way with me, then I don't have a problem with that!" 

"Huh," she snorted, shouldering past him. "You'd be lucky." 

"Wouldn't I though?" he murmured, watching the way the clothes were plastered to her body, leaving very little to the imagination. 

He followed her back into the main dressing room and opened his locker, pulling out a clean T-shirt and a hairbrush. "Come here," he said softly, waiting until she stood looking mutinously up at him. He took the towel from her hands and dropped it on the couch, turning to pull her wet top over her head and then start on the sweat pants she was wearing. 

Amy didn't even have the presence of mind to protest his actions, she just stood letting him do it, starting to shiver as the air got to her wet skin. He threw her clothes in a heap across the room and then looked down at her soft curves, covered now only in her underwear, and he had to force himself not to take them off as well. Taking the towel he wrapped it firmly around her body and sat her down, going off to the bathroom for another towel and then sitting down to dry her hair. It was difficult to get it out of its braid with it being so wet, but eventually he managed it and started towelling it dry. When he was satisfied that it wasn't dripping anymore, he took the brush and started pulling it through the thick tresses. 

Amy sat still and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his hands smoothing through her hair. He was incredibly gentle with her and she gave a deep sigh, leaning back against him and feeling his arms close around her, his head lowering to rest on top of hers. 

"I wish I could stay here," she murmured, thinking of the fact that she would be leaving soon. 

"I wish you could too, darlin'. But it's only for a short while, then you'll be travelling with us all the time won't you?" he asked her, hoping that that would be the case. 

"I think so, Vince hasn't said. I hope so," she answered, her arms resting over his and stroking his tattooed flesh. "I don't want to go." 

"Don't you want to see Vince's house, or should I say your new home?" Mark said, and she felt him smile against her hair, his fingers caressing her waist. 

"Yeah, I do, but...I don't know. I'm going to miss you really a lot," she admitted, her shoulders slumping. "I guess that sounds stupid doesn't it? I've only known you a few days, so how on earth am I going to miss you?" 

"It doesn't sound stupid, not unless I'm stupid too, because I'm gonna miss you just as much, maybe more," he said softly, kissing her head. 

She didn't say anything, but she couldn't help smiling. She was starting to care for him a lot, and it was quite nice to think that maybe he was starting to care for her too. She turned her head and leaned back, looking up at his beautiful eyes and his tempting mouth, lifting a hand so she could flatten it against his cheek. "Are you going to come and see me when you get to Connecticut?" 

"Stupid question," he murmured, smiling down at her. "Just try and stop me." 

He stared down into her face and smiled when he saw her expression, finding it amusing how easy to read she was. Her eyes were fixed on his mouth and she obviously wanted to kiss him, although she wasn't confident enough just yet to go ahead and do it. She would soon get used to it, he decided, a smirk tilting his lips. 

"What are you smirking about?" she asked him, narrowing her eyes. 

"Just wondering when you're gonna pluck up enough courage to kiss me, I know you want to. And since you do, then I have to assume that you ain't mad at me for giving you a soaking," he said, smiling wickedly at her. 

"I might be mad," she replied, trying to look angry and failing miserably. 

"Yeah, and you might be taller than 5 ft too, but I doubt it!" 

"I am taller than 5 ft!" she protested, sitting up straighter and glaring at him. 

He gave her a doubting look and just smiled. "Sure you are honey."  
"I am too! I'm 5 ft and one whole inch!!" 

"Wow, one whole inch huh? Okay then, I take it back. I was wrong, and I am very, very sorry," he said, plastering a repentant look on his face that made her laugh. 

"You big fake," she said softly, giving a deep sigh as she stared at his face, wondering how someone so handsome could possibly be interested in someone as plain as her. 

"What's that look for?" he asked her, stroking her face with his knuckles. 

She smiled and shook her head, not wanting to voice the question in case she didn't like the answer. "Nothing...just looking, stocking up on memories for the next couple of weeks." 

He raised an eyebrow. "I could give you a very graphic memory to take away with you, if you'd like?" he said, waggling his eyebrows at her. 

She gave him a hard slap on the arm and wagged her finger in his face. "Stop being rude!" 

Mark put on a hurt look, something that didn't sit well on a nearly 7 ft man. "You're not a nice person, You insult me, you attack me...I don't know why I bother!" He stopped his playacting when her face fell. "Hey, I was only kidding!" 

"I know, it's just...well, I was just thinking that...I don't know what you see in me. I mean, you're so handsome and everything, why are you bothering with someone like me?"  
"You know, honey, I don't know about all that handsome shit, I'm just a man, like any other. But you are something special and something rare in my life. You're innocent, you're beautiful, you make me smile and you make me feel as if I really am handsome. I love spending time with you, even though we have only known each other a short time," he said, catching her eyes and holding her gaze. "I actually feel as if I've known you forever." 

"Maybe we knew each other in a past life?" she said, trying to joke. 

He nodded. "Maybe we did. Of course, I would have been the lord of the manor and you would have been the lowly servant," he said looking arrogant. 

She smiled at him. "Oh, that's right, give yourself the best role. Typical!" 

"Aw, come on, honey. You may have been a servant, but I still would have chased you around the house trying to get under your skirts!" 

She laughed at the naughty schoolboy look he was adopting and he grabbed her to him, tilting her chin up for his kiss. "Mmm, that's better," he growled. "So, what are you doing now?" 

"Nothing. Vince gave me the afternoon off." 

"Well, well. Looks like I can keep you here with me then doesn't it?" he said, bending his head to kiss her again. 


	17. Chapter 17

_***This bit of the story is in Connecticut, a place I know virtually nothing about, and I hope it doesn't show too much. I got what inof I could off the internet, but I couldn't for the life of me find out if it actually SNOWS there. So if it doesn't, just call this poetic licence, okay?***_

Chapter seventeen 

The next two days flew by, and she enjoyed every moment of them. Mark showed up at odd times during her working day and when she wasn't with him she thought about him. The day before she was due to go to Connecticut with Vince, Amy waited backstage and watched on the monitors while Mark and Glenn had their match. Now she was more used to the place she found the whole experience more exciting, even if the sight of the huge men wandering about backstage still made her a little nervous. About halfway through the match she suddenly felt as if she were being watched and she turned her head, finding a big well-dressed man standing watching her with a smirk on his face. He had blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and she couldn't decide whether or not he was good looking, but she quickly turned away as he continued to stare at her in that strange way. She felt rather than heard him move up behind her and she glanced hesitantly over her shoulder again, jumping when she found him closer than she expected. 

"Well, hello there, you sweet thing," he said, his voice deep and his eyes running over her figure as he hemmed her in against the wall with one arm resting behind her. "Where did you come from? I thought I knew all the ladies here." 

Amy opened her mouth to speak, but found she couldn't think of a thing to say. She felt extremely uncomfortable with him standing so close, but she didn't know how to tell him to go away. She frowned, wondering who he was. 

As if sensing what she wanted to know he gave a cocky grin. "My name's Paul, you may know me better as Triple H," he said, tilting his head back and obviously waiting for her approval. 

Unfortunately, she had never heard of him, not having watched wrestling for some years until recently and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know who you are," she said, shrugging. It was his turn to frown now, looking like he couldn't believe that she had never heard of him. He obviously had a huge ego, she thought. He looked down at her chest and she got the sudden urge to cross her arms in front of her. 

"Well, that don't matter none," he said, managing to move even closer to her. "We can get to know each other, can't we?" 

"I...no," she gasped, pushing against him as he backed her completely up against the wall and one of his hands rubbed up and down her arm. 

"Sure we can," he continued, not taking no for an answer and bending his head, his intentions clear. 

Her eyes grew huge and she pushed at him again, turning her head away quickly. "Let me go!" she said as both of his hands pulled her up against him. 

"Oh, come on, honey, don't be that way, I could use a little relaxation," he murmured, nuzzling her neck in a way that made her want to be sick and making her struggle even more. Neither of them heard Mark return backstage, but all of a sudden Amy found herself free of him and she leaned weakly back against the wall. 

Mark had pulled Paul away from her and had literally thrown him across the corridor so that he crashed into the opposite wall, making him fall in a heap on the floor. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Paul shouted as Mark went to grab him, Glenn stepping up and stopping him. 

"No, Mark, he ain't worth it, leave him alone!" Glenn said, trying to make sure his friend didn't get in any trouble. 

Amy watched as Mark shook himself, trying to calm himself down, and then he turned to her and came over to where she was, not bothering to say a word to the fallen man. He cupped her face gently and then looked her over, checking to make sure she was unhurt. "Are you okay, darlin'?" he asked, his voice deep and slightly husky and a frown creasing his forehead when he felt her shaking. 

She nodded, her eyes darting to where the other man was slowly getting to his feet being watched by Glenn. "I'm fine. I'm so glad you came, I didn't know what to do," she said, holding onto his arm as she moved to stand against him. 

"I'm glad I got here in time. Want me to kill him for you?" he asked her, wrapping one big arm around her when she rested her head on his chest. 

"No, I'd rather have you here than in prison," she replied, laughing softly. She glanced up at him and gave a small wobbly smile. "I wouldn't mind a cuddle though." 

"Now that really is my pleasure," he murmured, lifting her up on a level with him and kissing her slowly and deeply, his arms wrapping around her securely, not in the least worried that Paul was standing watching them with his mouth hanging open. Mark broke off the kiss and slowly put her down, keeping one arm around her as he turned to face Paul, who was still looking shocked. 

"Hey, Mark, I didn't realise..." he began. 

"Shut the fuck up. You're lucky I don't tear your head off. Didn't you hear her say no?" 

"Yeah, but you know what women can be like," Paul said indignantly. 

"Maybe the women you know," Mark agreed. "But this one's different. She's mine, and don't you ever make the mistake of forgetting that. You go near her again and I will kill you," Mark threatened. 

Paul gave a short laugh. "Come on man, is she really worth going that far for?" 

"I mean it, Paul, I'll kill you. And I don't mean that as a euphemism, I'll tear you to pieces, and I'll do it slowly. Got it?" He waited until Paul nodded and then turned in the direction of his dressing room, pulling Amy along with him. 

"Jesus, I haven't seen him that bad since...well...since Sara," Paul said, rubbing the back of his head gingerly where he had crashed into the wall. 

"Believe me," Glenn told the other man, giving him a faintly disgusted look, "this'll be a whole lot worse than that if you ever so much as look at her again. Oh," he added, leaning closer to the other man, "and just for the record, she happens to be Vince's goddaughter and a good friend of mine. Next time I'll let Mark get to you and I'll join in with him. You got that too?" 

Paul found himself nodding again and then staring dumbly after Glenn as he sauntered down the hall. 

Mark got Amy back in his dressing room and sat her down, looking at her with worried eyes. "You sure you're alright?" he asked her, crouching down in front of her and taking her hands. 

Amy smiled softly and leaned forward to place a small kiss on his lips, suddenly feeling brave enough to do it. "I am now. Thank you for being my knight in shining armour," she said with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him into a cuddle. 

He laughed and stood up, taking her with him and then sitting back down so she was sitting across his lap, her arms still firmly around his neck. "I don't know about the knight in shining armour," he said, still chuckling. "I bet you never imagined your hero using so many swear words?" 

"Well, no, not really. But I don't mind." 

He pulled her back and raised his eyebrows. "You mean I'm not gonna get told off for my bad language again?" 

She shook her head and then rested her head on his shoulder, loving the freedom of being this close to him. "You're my hero. Besides, I don't want to ruin the evening. I'm leaving soon remember?" 

"You couldn't ever ruin my evening, honey. How about we go out and get some food, see a movie and then I'll take you home so you can get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow?" 

She stared up at him. "You trying to get rid of me or something?" 

Mark stared down at her for a long moment. "I want you to stay here with me, if you want the truth. But it's too soon for that, for you," he said, putting a finger over her mouth when she went to protest. "Let's just enjoy our night together, then the sooner you leave, the sooner we can be back together again. Okay?" 

She nodded, looking at him so trustingly that he wanted nothing more than to lock the door and bury himself in her. He smiled as he thought of doing just that. He could wait, and she would be worth waiting for, he decided. 

"Right, time I had a shower, then we can get going." 

Later that night he stopped the car outside her front door and turned to look at her, having realised she had been quiet all the way back from town. She looked so forlorn when she finally returned his gaze that he pulled her instantly onto his lap and started kissing her, putting everything he was feeling into the kiss. 

Amy moaned under the force of feeling that went through her and she tried to get even closer to him, her tongue tangling with his as his hand went to her hair and threaded through it, almost pulling it in his desperation to kiss her as deeply as possible. 

He broke off eventually and sat trying to catch his breath, his hand pulling her head against his neck so she couldn't see the expression on his face. God he didn't want her to go! But he knew he also needed the time apart to put his feelings into perspective. He had only known her for a handful of days, so it had to just be infatuation. But he was too old to be infatuated with anybody, let alone a young girl who knew absolutely nothing about love or sex and far too much about pain. He sighed deeply as his body finally started to calm down and he rubbed his hands up and down her back. "Come on, honey, let's get you indoors." 

Amy reluctantly let him get her out of the car and then walk her to the door, looking up at him sadly when he stood under the porch light and studied her carefully. He nodded after a few seconds. "There, now I've done what you did earlier, I've got my memories of you to keep me warm while I'm not with you." He smiled down at her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Give me a kiss." 

She obediently stood on tiptoes and waited for him to bend down enough so she could kiss his firm mouth, trying to convey what she felt for him in each caress she bestowed on his hair, face and neck. She felt him smile against her mouth and she drew back, forcing a smile to a mouth that didn't want to smile at all, especially when he rang the doorbell. 

Vince opened the door and gave them a knowing look, waiting with his arms folded as Mark dropped another quick kiss on her lips and then grabbed her to him for a brief hug. "I'll miss you darlin'," he growled into her ear. 

Amy found she couldn't say anything for the huge lump in her throat and she simply nodded, watching as he said goodbye to Vince and then strode away and got into his car. She stayed where she was as he drove off, waiting until she could no longer see the tail lights before she went indoors. 

Vince put his arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Don't look so sad, Peaches, it isn't for too long, then you'll see his ugly face again. Just think of that, maybe plan what you'll be doing when he gets to Connecticut, and the time will pass before you know it." 

Amy found a small smile forming and gave him a hug. "Thank you." 

Vince returned the hug, his eyebrows raised. "For what?" 

"For everything. For giving me a family, people I can care about, a job. I've been happier here these last few days than I have in my entire life." 

"Well you are most welcome, honey," he murmured, looking slightly embarrassed. "Now go on, it's late, get to bed and get some sleep. We're leaving early in the morning." 

Amy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then did as he said, shutting her bedroom door behind her and trying not to think of Mark. An impossible task. 

*** 

The next two weeks passed by at a crawl. Amy tried to do as Vince had suggested and think of things they could do when Mark got there, but it just made her think about him more. She was quite surprised at the difference in temperature in Connecticut compared to LA. It was December now and Vince and Linda had been making all sorts of plans for Christmas, making sure to include Mark in them, much to Amy's delight. Vince had the most enormous house and Amy had been totally speechless when she had first seen it, unable to believe that one person could need or want a place so large. Vince had been amused by her response to her first look at her new home and he had taken great pleasure showing her around. He and Linda had taken her upstairs and shown her into a set of rooms that they assured her were all hers. There was a huge bedroom all decorated in varying shades of cream and her own bathroom, along with a sitting room that seemed to have every entertainment item known to man, and the door from the hallway opened straight into this room, giving her privacy in her bedroom. 

"We phoned ahead and had it kitted out for you," Linda told her, putting her arm around her shoulders and steering her into the bedroom. The bed was a huge four poster with soft voile drapes hanging from the posts and wrapped around them. It looked just like something out of a fairy tale, and Amy said so. 

Linda opened the wardrobe doors and Amy's jaw dropped when she saw that it was full of clothing in every colour. She went closer and looked, finding that they were all in her size. 

"I don't understand," she said, looking confused and Linda gave a big grin. 

"Honey, I noticed you didn't have many things, so I stole a couple of them and got all these in your size. You've got everything you could possibly need, underwear, shoes, sports clothing, a swimsuit...I don't think I've forgotten anything. You'll need a new dress for the Christmas party, but I thought we could go shopping together for that. What do you think?" 

"I can't believe it," she murmured, trying to find a way to voice her thanks. "I don't know how to thank you enough, there's so much, too much..." 

Vince saw her trying to hold back tears and pulled her to him for a hug. "You deserve all of it, honey. It's about time you had nice things happen to you, and we're happy to be the ones who make them happen. Now come on, don't get all watery on me, we can't have you crying all over the dinner can we?" 

Amy gave a wobbly smile and turned to give Linda a hug. "Thank you so much." 

"You're very welcome. But how about that shopping trip?" 

"I'd like that very much. I've never really gone on a shopping trip with another woman, not even my mother. She was always working, I guess...but I'd love to." 

Linda smiled and nodded, taking the younger girls arm and leading her from the room. 

They all went down and sat in the enormous dining room whilst Vince's housekeeper bustled about setting food in front of them. It was all a bit of a culture shock for Amy and she just stared around her, bemused by the luxury she now found herself in. She swore that she would do everything she could to make sure they were glad they'd taken her in. 

The first evening, after dinner, they were sitting in the main living room watching television when Amy heard her phone start making weird noises from out in the hall. She went out and picked it up from the telephone table and looked at it. It had never made any noises before, no-one had phoned her on it and she looked carefully at the screen. 

"It's a message," Vince said, coming up behind her and looking at the small screen. "Press that button there, and then you can read it." 

He made himself scarce whilst she brought up the message on the tiny screen, grinning as he walked away, knowing full well that he had only given her number to one person. 

'Hope you made the journey okay little girl. Just finished a promo shoot with Glenn and he was acting crazy. I can't stand it anymore. Come and rescue me!' the message read and Amy found herself grinning like a fool when she read it. She fiddled around with the phone for a few seconds, getting the hang of the menu on it, then she typed in a quick reply. 

'I'd love to come and rescue you, but then you'd have to promise to become my slave!' she typed, biting her lip as she sent it. 

She sat down in one of the nearby chairs and waited, wondering how long it would take to get a reply. The phone beeped at her again just a couple of minutes later and she eagerly opened the message. 

'I don't mind being your slave darlin', as long as it's your sex slave. I have to go get some sleep now, but I miss you. xxx.' 

'I miss you too. Have sweet dreams. xxx.' she typed back and sent the message, rejoining Vince and Linda by the television. 

"Who was it?" Vince asked, his tone knowing, and he grinned broadly when she blushed. 

"It was Mark," she said, trying not to look pleased and failing. 

"I suppose he sent you a soppy message? Something like 'Oh, I miss you so much, my heart is going to wither and die without you'," Vince said in a stupid voice, laughing at her heightened colour. 

Amy laughed with him. "I can't imagine Mark ever sounding like that!"  
"Oh, but I notice you didn't deny that he had sent a soppy message? Ah, ain't love grand?" he asked Linda, winking at her. 

Amy found herself really relaxing for the first time in years and enjoying the friendly teasing, rather than feeling baffled by it all. She felt like part of a family. 

Mark and Amy continued sending messages for the next week and Amy spent a lot of time walking around the grounds of Vince's estate, traipsing through the snow and delighting in it. They hadn't had a lot of snow when she was a child and she didn't often see it as an adult. This stuff was fluffy and deep and she loved it, even if Linda did keep telling her not to stay outside for so long. It gave her a chance to think about Mark and what the future might hold. In the evenings she watched whatever matches were on television, worrying every time he took a fall and then cheering him on whenever he beat his opponent to the ground, much to Vince's amusement. 

"You're becoming a vicious little thing!" 

"Yeah, well...they were trying to hurt him!" she protested, smiling. 

"Well, that is the name of the game. Hmm, talking about the game, I hear you had a bit of trouble with Paul Levesque?" 

"Who?" Amy asked, wrinkling her brow in genuine confusion. 

"Who, she says," Vince asked no-one in particular, rolling his eyes. "The big guy, blonde hair, made a pass at you the other week? Ring any bells?" 

"Oh...oh, him," she muttered. 

"Yes, him. I don't need to ask if it was true then, your face tells me everything I need to know. Why didn't you tell me?" 

"It wasn't important really, no harm done. Mark came along and...er...dealt with him." 

"Yes, I heard about that too. I'll have to call Paul in and have a word with him I think," he said holding up a hand when she went to protest. "No arguments. You're not the first one he's come on too strong with, so it's time he was told." He gave a chuckle. "I hear he lost virtually all his colour when Mark threatened him and then Glenn told him who you were. I wish I'd seen that. Still, I will when I call him in, won't I?" 

Amy shrugged. "I guess so." She rubbed her temples and grimaced. "Have you got any painkillers?" 

"What's up, headache?" 

"Yeah, feels weird, like a migraine or something. I think I might take some and go to bed, if that's alright?" 

"You do what you feel like doing honey," he said, going through a desk drawer and handing her a pack of painkillers. "You know, you look pretty flushed, maybe you're coming down with something." 

Amy shrugged and gave a small smile. "Maybe it's the cold weather?" 

"Hmm, could be. Get some sleep and feel better okay?" he said, watching her walk out of the door before he turned back to the sheaf of papers in his hands. 

Amy made her way upstairs and took the pills, swallowing them down through a throat that felt sort of bruised. Great, she thought, I'm getting a cold. Now I'll look awful when Mark gets here! 

She had a quick wash and slipped into her night-gown, sliding her body between the cool sheets and praying that what she had was simply a bad headache and nothing more. 

Unfortunately, it seemed that no-one was listening to her prayers, because when she woke up the next morning she could barely lift her head off the pillow and her throat hurt unbearably, as did every muscle in her body it seemed. She started to panic when she realised she really couldn't get out of bed and she forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath. The pain in her chest sent her into a fit of coughing that went on for what seemed like forever, leaving her even weaker than before. She let her heavy eyelids close and relaxed, wondering how long it would be before they noticed her missing. 

It was about an hour later when Linda knocked on the door. "Amy? Are you up honey, we missed you at breakfast? Amy?" she called, waiting for a reply that didn't come. All she could hear was a slight raspy sound, and she opened the door and peeked her head around it, thinking that maybe the younger girl was in the shower. "Amy?" she said when she saw her laying in the bed, her eyes open and her face pale, all except two bright spots of colour high up on her cheeks. "Oh my," she said, rushing over to the bed and feeling Amy's forehead. "You're burning up!" 

When Amy whispered how awful she felt she immediately took charge of the situation and pretty soon Amy found herself dosed up with cold medicine, having been efficiently bathed and dressed by both Linda and the housekeeper, Maggie, her bed remade and a drink forced down her throat. She had to admit she felt a little bit better, even if it did feel like she was swallowing razor blades. 

"I told you not to stay out in the cold for so long! Good grief, you were like a popsicle when you came indoors! You wait until I tell Mark what you've been up to!" Linda admonished, walking around the bed and making sure everything was tucked in and Amy was comfortable. 

"I'm sorry." Amy said, grimacing when her voice came out all grating and husky. 

"No need to say sorry to me, sweetie, save it for Vince!" 

"He won't be mad will he?" 

Linda brushed the hair back from her forehead, frowning when she felt how hot Amy still was, despite the medicine she had taken. "No, he won't be mad. Not while you're ill anyway. When you're better he'll probably lecture you for hours on the right amount of time to spend in the snow and the appropriate clothing to wear, blah blah blah!" Linda smiled. "I'll go and get him, he'll be wondering what's going on by now." 

Amy wearily watched her go out of the room and sank back against the pillows, letting her feverish eyes close and drift off into a fitful sleep. Some time later she became aware of a big cool hand on her forehead and forced her eyes open again, seeing Vince looking down at her with concern. He looked up at Linda. "I'm calling a doctor, she's been like this for two days now and we should have done something sooner. That damn cold medicine doesn't do a thing!" 

Two days! Amy couldn't believe her ears. She felt as if she'd only just closed her eyes! Looking down at herself she noticed she was wearing different night-clothes and her bed had been changed again. Maybe more than once. She frowned when she tried to recall the previous two days. She had vague memories of being taken to the bathroom, of being cooled down with water at some point. Other than that her mind was a blank. She looked bewildered and Vince patted her arm. "We'll soon have you better honey, don't worry." 

She tried smiling and then found her eyes closing again, her last thought being to wonder how much time would elapse before she next opened them. 


	18. Chapter 18

_***Do you have text messaging in America? God, I hope so otherwise some of the things I've written won't make any sense!!!!***_

__

__Chapter eighteen 

Two more days passed and Vince was busy working in his study when the telephone rang. "Hello," Vince said absently as he picked it up. 

"Hey, Vince. Is Amy about?" 

Vince stopped what he was doing when he heard Marks voice. "Er...yeah, I guess so," he said, frowning. 

"What's up?" 

"Nothing, why do you ask?" 

"Well, y'know, I've been sending messages to Amy for the last couple of days and she hasn't replied to a one of them. And then there's the fact that you sound weird. What's going on?" Mark demanded, and Vince could almost hear him frowning. 

"Amy isn't well. She's not going to die or anything, the doctor said it's just flu, but it's a bad one. She's been in bed for four days, and she's been pretty out of it, that's why she probably didn't reply to you." 

"Is she okay?" Mark asked, his voice conveying his worry. 

"Yeah, yeah, she will be. Don't worry about her, you know we'll take care of her. Anyway, you'll be here at the weekend," Vince pointed out, smiling as he heard Mark muttering. 

"Yeah, but that's another two days yet. Dammit, I can't get there any sooner. Are you sure she's okay?" 

"Yes, stop worrying, for Christ's sake! Anyway, seeing your ugly face will probably make her worse, if anything." 

"Thanks a lot. Look, tell her I...er...tell her I called okay? See ya." 

Vince grinned as he put the phone down. And he had been worried that Mark might string her along. 'Tell her I...' he thought, tell her I...what? Maybe Mark was more smitten than he had thought. Good. It was obvious to him that Amy had lost her heart, now he wanted to make sure her feelings were returned. He looked forward to what the weekend might bring. 

*** 

The next couple of days passed by fairly swiftly, especially for Amy. She still felt awful and they'd called the doctor in again, but he said she was well on her way to recovery, it had just been a particularly nasty case of flu. He remarked that it was fortunate no-one else had succumbed to it, prescribing a course of vitamins and iron to help boost her immune system and saying that it would probably be gone as quickly as it had appeared. 

Amy had time to look forward to Mark's arrival and she read all the messages he had sent when she felt well enough, the affection he showed her bringing a smile to her face. She couldn't wait to see him again and she just hoped she'd be better by then. 

*** 

Mark got off the late plane and went straight for the rental he had waiting for him, impatient to see Amy now he was this close to her. He hoped Vince would be okay with him arriving a day early, but as soon as the match finished he had jumped on the next available flight. The last two weeks had been torture, he had missed her more than he had imagined possible. When Vince had told him she was sick he had been almost beside himself with worry. Glenn had had a hard time calming him down. He made his way through the heavy traffic at the airport and drove as fast as he could to Vince's house, getting buzzed through the large entrance gates by Vince himself and only just refraining from hammering on the door quite as hard as he wanted to once he reached it. 

"Mark! Good to see you, come on in," Linda said as she looked up at the large man standing hesitantly on the doorstep. "You're here earlier than I thought. Or should I say later?" she asked, looking at her watch since it was nearly eleven at night. 

"Hi, Linda. Yeah, I couldn't hang about waiting until tomorrow. How's Amy?" Mark asked, not bothering with any niceties, wanting to see Amy for himself. 

Linda smiled up at him, carefully masking the glee in her eyes. "She's doing okay. She's in the third room to the right, just up the stairs. That's her room now, so I suppose you'd better know where it is, huh?" She laughed at his slightly embarrassed expression. "She's in bed, but she was awake half an hour ago. Go on up. But you better knock first, okay?" 

Mark looked relieved. "Okay, thanks." 

Linda watched him take the stairs three at a time and shook her head. She couldn't wait to tell Vince. 

Mark stood outside the bedroom door and wiped his palms down his jeans, surprised that he was nervous about seeing her again. It had only been two weeks, but he had been worried about her since he heard she was ill. He knocked on the door and waited, but no sound came from the room so he tried knocking again. Still nothing. Maybe she was asleep, he thought, and he risked opening the door a crack and peering into what turned out to be a sitting room. He made his way to a door at the far end of the room, dropping his bag on the floor, knocking and then opening the door into a decidedly feminine bedroom. 

Amy was laying in bed, fast asleep and obviously still suffering from a slight fever, if her colour was anything to go by. He walked into the room and closed the door quietly, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed where he could take her hand in his. 

She stirred at the first touch of his fingers and he watched with concern as she went into a coughing fit, helping her sit up so she could catch her breath. She opened her eyes as she calmed down and stared at him blearily. "Am I dreaming?" she said huskily, staring blankly at his face. 

Mark smiled softly and cupped her face in his palm. "Nah, sweetheart, you ain't dreaming." 

"You're really here?" 

"Yeah, I'm really here. Where else would I be?" 

"I missed you," she said softly, her eyelids still drooping. She frowned suddenly. "I look awful. I wanted to look nice when I saw you again." 

"You look just fine to me, darlin'. How are you feeling?" 

"Ok, I guess. I'm tired," she replied. 

"Maybe you should lay down again and get some sleep. You gotta get better for me," Mark said, stroking her hair out of her face. 

"I don't want to go to sleep," she grumbled as he pushed her gently back against the pillows. 

"Why not?" 

"You won't be here when I wake up." 

"Ah sweetheart, course I'll be here. I'd like to see anyone try and move me," he said, running his thumb down her cheek as her eyes slid slowly closed. 

"You promise?" she mumbled, already half asleep. 

"I promise. Go to sleep." 

He watched her for a while until he was sure she was sound asleep and then eased himself down next to her, trying to fit his large frame on the regular sized double bed, his feet hanging over the end. It didn't matter, he thought, because he was exactly where he wanted to be. He found himself feeling drowsy, because he hadn't slept well for the last two nights since Vince had told him how she was, and then there was the rushed flight over here. He had been imagining all sorts of things being wrong with her, and he was relieved now he was finally with her and he could see how good or bad she really was. He let his eyes close and put one arm over Amy's waist pulling her closer to him and finally relaxing in sleep. 

When Amy woke up a couple of hours later it was to find a heavy weight pinning her to the bed and she looked down to see what it was, smiling slightly when she saw it was a very large tattooed arm. She lifted her eyes to his face and studied him as he slept, surprised at how innocent he looked, the frown lines almost completely absent. 

"I'm glad you're here," she whispered, reaching out and touching his mouth, running her fingers up over his nose and eyes and then returning once again to his full lips. She gasped when his mouth opened and he nipped gently at her fingertip. "I thought you were asleep." 

"I was. Maybe I should have pretended to be asleep longer, just to see where else those busy little fingers might go," he murmured, opening his eyes and pinning her with a jade stare. "How are you feeling?" 

"Better actually. Maybe it's because you're here?" she said, her throat feeling better and her chest feeling much clearer. Perhaps he was a miracle worker, she thought. 

"I'd bet on it," he murmured, watching her as she yawned and snuggled closer to him. "Go back to sleep." 

Amy sighed and opened her eyes a little. "What about you? You can't be comfortable like that," she said, looking at his fully dressed body. "Why don't you take your shirt off?" 

"Oh I like that. You want me to get naked huh? Ya little hussy!" he chuckled, but all the same he moved her gently away from him and stripped everything off save for his trousers, and even those he unbuttoned, patting his stomach happily. "Gotta let my gut out, haven't I?" 

Amy giggled as he rejoined her and arranged them so they were both under the covers with her head resting on his chest. Mark sighed in contentment and closed his eyes, glad that the two weeks of waiting were over. 

He awoke slowly to the sound of hushed voices and he cautiously opened one eye, the other one popping open suddenly when he saw Vince and Linda standing in the doorway, staring at him. 

"Good morning," Vince said, trying to look stern. "Want to tell me what the hell you're doing in here?" He looked Mark over, pursing his lips when he saw he had no shirt on. "Want to also tell me that you have some clothes on under there?" 

Linda smacked him on the arm and shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Leave him alone!" she said to Vince, tut-tutting. She turned her attention to Mark, seeing how he was looking down at the girl in his arms, one hand coming out from under the sheets to brush her hair back from her face and feel her forehead. "How is she?" 

Mark looked up and gave a small smile. "She seems better, her temperature's down. As for your question, yes, of course I'm wearing something!" he said to Vince, looking disgusted at the insinuation. 

"Ah, don't give me that look!" Vince said, grinning. "You can't tell me it didn't cross your mind?" 

"She's ill, even I wouldn't take advantage of someone who was ill," Mark pointed out, trying not to smile. "Although, now I think about it..." 

Linda laughed and the sound woke Amy up. She opened her eyes and looked to see where all the noise was coming from, her face going beetroot red when she saw Vince and Linda standing there grinning at her, and Mark holding her close to his bare chest. She turned and hid her face against him, groaning. She felt him shake when he laughed and she peeked up at him. "It isn't funny!" 

"Yeah it is, Scarlet," he replied, his voice rumbling pleasantly in his chest. He looked at Vince. "Care to get the hell out of here so we can get dressed?" 

Vince raised his eyebrow "I thought you said you had something on?" 

"I have. But apart from a night-gown," he murmured, looking under the covers at what Amy was wearing, "she doesn't." 

"You shouldn't be looking!" Vince growled as Linda started pulling him out of the room. "I will be back up here in ten minutes, so you'd better both be dressed by then!" 

Linda succeeded in getting him out of the room and leaned her head around the door just before she closed it. "Twenty minutes, okay?" she said with a wink and Mark laughed, pulling Amy closer to him as soon as the door was shut. 

"Are you feeling okay this morning?" he asked her, gently stroking her face. 

Amy smiled, nodded and then wrapped her arms as far around him as she could get them, squeezing for all she was worth. "Oh, I missed you so much!" 

"I missed you too, my darlin', more than I thought I would," he said heavily, his arms wrapping her in a bear hug that almost took her breath away. He frowned when he felt how much weight she had lost, she felt frail. "You feel even tinier than normal," he murmured, running one hand up and down her back, the soft satin of her night-gown sliding between his fingers. "I guess you're not up to a bout of lovemaking just yet?" he asked wistfully. 

Amy pulled back from him and saw the wicked gleam in his eyes, realising he was teasing her. "Not really. But I'm getting better!" she said enthusiastically. "So maybe soon?" 

Mark laughed. "Eager ain't ya?" 

Her face was suddenly serious and she studied his rugged face. "Yes I am." 

"Good, I'll make it worth your while. But not just yet. What I want to do right now is clean my teeth so I can kiss you properly and then take a nice shower," he said, kissing her forehead and then sliding out of bed to grab the bag he had dumped in the sitting room the night before. He brought it back in the bedroom and dumped it on the end of the bed, rummaging through it and coming up with clean clothes and a toothbrush. 

"You got a spare towel in there?" he asked her, nodding towards the bathroom. 

"Yes, on the shelf," she murmured, watching with obvious appreciation as his torso rippled when he moved. 

He caught the look and raised an eyebrow. "Want to join me?" 

"In the shower?" she asked, her mouth dropping open. 

"Yes, in the shower. Not feeling adventurous?" 

"Er...no...I..." she shrugged and bit her lip, torn between hiding under the covers and rushing into the bathroom with him. 

"Don't panic. You haven't got anything I haven't seen, remember. Although, after being ill so long I guess you'd probably like a bath?" 

"It would be nice," she agreed, her gaze dropping to his chest again. 

"Okay, well I'll just run you a bath, okay?" he asked, not bothering to wait for a reply before he disappeared into the luxurious en-suite bathroom she now had. 

She listened to the sounds of him cleaning his teeth and generally pottering about and couldn't stop herself from going to see what he was doing. She didn't even think about putting on a robe over the flimsy gown she was wearing. 

She found him dipping his hand into the tub and checking the temperature. He hadn't seen her yet and she stayed perfectly still, watching him laying out towels and then sniffing at a bottle of bath oil before adding a bit to the running water. He stood back from the bath and stared down at it for a second, a small smile playing around his mouth. "Having a good time watching me work?" he asked, his head turning suddenly to pin her with his glittering gaze. 

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I couldn't help it." 

He sauntered over to her and pulled her face up so he could study it. "I don't mind you looking lustfully at me darlin', I have every intention of doing some looking of my own!" He punctuated his words by looking down and staring at the outline of her body, clearly visible through the thin material of the night-gown. 

"Stop that," she said, blushing. 

"Aw, come on, darlin'. I'm gonna be seeing a lot more of you in a minute, anyway, now clean your teeth for me," he murmured, grinning at her bewildered expression. He turned away from her as she did what he told her to and he finished filling the bath, testing the temperature once again and then moving back to her and tugging her away from the sink. "Bath time," he said, his smile turning wicked. 

When she meekly followed him he gave a slight frown. "Aren't you gonna argue with me? Tell me to get out?" 

"Would you listen to me if I did?" she asked, shrugging and trying to make her heartbeat slow down. 

Mark seemed to think about that for a moment. "No." He gave another dazzling grin and then whipped the gown over her head before she could say another word, chuckling when she automatically tried to cover herself with her hands. "Not feeling quite so brave now then huh? Now come on, I've seen it all before," he said, picking her up and lowering her slowly into the scented water, his big arms taking her weight with no problem whatsoever. His eyes devoured every inch of her as she disappeared beneath the bubbles, and he felt his body react predictably. "There," he said, when she was laying back. "Now you're covered up again. Want me to wash your back? Maybe join you in the bath? Huh?" 

He sounded so eager that she couldn't help laughing. "I wouldn't mind you washing my back," she said. 

"Oh, but I can't join you?" he asked, looking sulky. His eyes ran the length of the tub. "Mind you, I wouldn't fit in there," he admitted, shrugging. "Ah well, you have to take these knocks sometimes. Come on, don't get lazy, lean forward for me," he said, grabbing a sponge and lathering it up. 

Ten minutes later Amy found herself wrapped in a huge towel, her face as red as it had ever been. He had been very thorough about washing her back, and had ended up washing every square inch of her, oblivious to her half-hearted protests. Now here she was standing watching as he stood under the shower, quickly washing himself and grinning every time he turned and looked at her. She tried to keep her eyes above his waist, but it was impossible not to look, hence her red face. He had told her not to move an inch and for some reason she had done exactly what he said, unable to uproot herself when such a tempting specimen was standing just a few feet away from her. She watched as he shut off the shower and stepped out of the cubicle, drying himself slowly with another big towel. "Ya know," he drawled, wrapping the towel around his waist and sauntering towards her, "I believe I've asked you this before, but I'm gonna ask again. See anything you like?" 

Amy looked up into the deep green pools of his eyes and couldn't bring herself to joke this time, not when all she wanted in the world was to jump into his arms and let him carry her off wherever he wanted to. She was in love with him, and she was only just realising it. "Yes," she said softly, all her longings clear for him to see, and she heard him take a sharp breath. 

"Honey, your eyes are telling me secrets," he murmured, leaning down to pick her up and carry her through to the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and came down next to her, his hands framing her face as he looked at her intently. Was he really seeing what he thought he was? he wondered. He saw the emotion there again and brushed his lips gently over hers, coaxing them to open for him so he could kiss her, his tongue shooting into her mouth as soon as it was able. 

Amy groaned under the tender assault, opening her mouth a bit wider for him and running her hands down his sides and around his back. She toyed with the edge of the towel, stroking her fingers back and forth over the material and then gathering her courage and dipping her fingers under it. She felt him jerk as she did that and almost withdrew her hand again, but he started kissing her deeper still, his hands tangling in her hair and altering the angle of her head to give him better access. 

She pushed her hand over his firm, warm buttocks, caressing him tentatively, thoroughly enjoying the feel of his smooth flesh and the enormous muscles underneath it. His body had hardened against her thigh and she experimentally rubbed her leg against it, hearing him groan deep in his chest as he broke the kiss and took a deep, shuddering breath. "What the hell are you doing to me?" he asked her, his eyes closed as he savoured her movements. 

"Don't you like it?" she asked, watching his expression and trying unsuccessfully to read it. 

"I love it, and if you keep on I'm gonna have to do something about it," he said on a groan as her leg rubbed him again. His eyes opened and his hand shot out to still her leg. "You're not up to this yet, you're still unwell." 

"But I want to," she said, so pleased to have him back with her that she didn't care that she still felt a little weak. 

"Hell, so do I, and you can feel how much. But you're gonna need all your strength to take me, little one, don't you realise that?" 

She frowned and realised he was right. She did feel tired already, just from having a bath. "I guess you're right," she grumbled. "What about you though? I've made you all...er...you know..." 

"Hard as a rock?" he said wryly. 

She blushed, but she was worried. "Well, yes. Won't it hurt if you have to stop?" 

"It just aches, it'll be okay," he told her, his eyes taking in all the delicate features of her face and tracing the freckles that ran across her nose. 

"Couldn't I help?" she asked, red-faced. 

His eyebrows arched in surprise. "You want to make it all better huh?" 

She nodded and bit her lip as he took her hand and kissed the palm, rolling onto his side and placing her fingers on the towel. "Go for it," he said, smiling crookedly at her and relaxing back as she immediately let her hands wander. In the end her weakened muscles in her arms weren't much help, but he assisted her some and soon found his release, kissing her until she could barely breathe as he wallowed in the pleasant aftermath. 


	19. Chapter 19

_***thank you all so much for the great reviews. It's certainly more than I expected and it's spurring me on to write more!***_

Chapter nineteen 

It was another fifteen minutes before the two of them made it downstairs and Vince looked pointedly at his watch when they sat at the table to have breakfast. 

"I had to dry her hair, didn't I?" Mark asked. "We wouldn't want her flu getting any worse, would we?" 

Vince gave him a deadly look and then studied Amy's averted face, not missing the flush on her cheeks or the marks on her neck where Mark had been kissing her there. He saw Linda glaring at him and gave a slight nod, knowing she was warning him not to say anything to embarrass them. He looked from one of them to the other as they kept giving each other covert glances and then Mark entwined his fingers through hers and rested their joined hands on the table, giving Amy such a loving look that Vince felt he was intruding on them. 

He opened the newspaper and began to read it, ignoring them as they got on with eating breakfast. 

Mark had heaped his plate up so high that the food was in danger of toppling off onto the table and Amy couldn't help giggling, comparing her own meagre portion to what he was about to consume. 

"Well, look at me," he defended himself, one hand going to his waist and patting. "I'm wasting away! If I don't feed myself up I'll soon be too thin to wrestle!" 

"Yeah sure you will," she scoffed, looking him up and down incredulously. "I'm surprised the chair can take all that weight!" 

"Hey!" he said, looking offended. "Are you saying I'm fat?" 

"Oh, just huge!" she agreed, eating her food slowly and realising she still didn't have any appetite. 

"Well, you've told me that once already," he murmured, referring to something else entirely and she blushed, quickly looking at Vince and Linda to see if they had noticed his comment. But they were engrossed in their separate newspapers and hadn't heard him. 

"Just eat your breakfast," she said, frowning at him as he grinned unrepentantly. 

She watched him put the food away with incredible speed while she just pushed hers around her plate. "What's up, not hungry?" he asked her, nodding to her plate. 

"No, not really. This is the first solid food I've had for days, but...I just don't feel like eating," she shrugged. 

"Yeah, well you're going to," he said, finishing his and then taking her fork away from her, loading it up and then holding it to her mouth. 

"Mark, I really don't think I can..." she began, only to find the fork being put in her mouth as soon as she had opened it. 

"Yes, you can. You've lost enough weight since I last saw you, now I've gotta feed you up. A man likes something to grab hold of ya know!" 

Vince's paper hit the table and he glared at the other man. "You're not grabbing hold of anything!" 

"Not at the moment," Mark agreed pleasantly, smiling at the older man. 

"Not ever," Vince grumbled. 

"Well, then, how are you ever gonna be a grand-god-father...or whatever the hell you call it?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Vince was speechless for a minute and his eyes darted to Amy, seeing the look of astonishment mingled with longing that she couldn't quite conceal. 

"That sounds pretty serious," Vince murmured, trying to gauge Marks' feelings. 

"Doesn't it though?" he replied, smiling slightly and continuing to feed Amy, the conversation obviously over. 

Amy obediently opened her mouth for the food each time he put the fork near her and pretty soon she had finished the entire plateful. In all honesty she was still bemused by his mention of children and all she could see were images of a miniature him running about, and she couldn't help smiling. 

He eyed her curved mouth and then narrowed one eye. "What are you smiling about?" 

She shook her head, the grin getting wider. "Nothing. Thank you for feeding me," she said, looking at her empty plate. 

"That's my pleasure, darlin'. About time someone fed you up. Now I'm gonna make it my mission to get you healthy again, starting with a bit of gentle exercise to get those muscles going," he said, pursing his lips as he picked up one of her arms and squeezed the non-existent bicep. "Like a bit of spaghetti," he grumbled, sounding disgusted. 

"What sort of exercise? Don't you go wearing her out," Vince warned him. 

"Nothing too strenuous, I thought maybe some swimming. Your pool's heated right?" 

Amy sat listening to them and felt her stomach turn over when he mentioned swimming. She had been hoping not to ever be pressed into going into the pool and she didn't know what to say, especially with everyone sitting there listening. She would wait and talk to Mark on his own later. 

Unfortunately, later was a bit optimistic. It had barely been an hour before he hustled her upstairs and told her to get changed into her swimsuit and that he'd wait for her by the pool. Vince and Linda had gone to the company offices and Mark had the day off, so at least there would only be the two of them. She stared at herself in the mirror, tugging at the costume as she tried to get it to cover a little more flesh, then she gave up and slipped on a robe over it before grabbing a towel and making her way down to the indoor pool. Mark was already in the water and Amy found herself staring at him enviously as he swam cleanly through the blue water, his arms propelling him swiftly from one end to the other. He stopped at the edge and wiped the drops from his eyes, before giving her a grin. "Don't just stand there, get in," he said, waiting for her to do so. When she showed no signs of taking her robe off he frowned, watching her move nervously from foot to foot. 

Amy's eyes shot from the water to him when he hauled himself out of the pool, her fascinated gaze taking in the sheer size of him as he walked towards her. His torso was all rippling muscle and tattoos and he had the most beautiful legs she had ever seen on a man, not that she had ever really looked before. But he was perfect to her eyes, and she couldn't stop looking at him. He stood in front of her, one hand coming to grab her chin gently. "What's the matter?" 

"I...er...isn't there some other sort of exercise that I could do?" she asked, delaying the inevitable. 

"No, this is the best sort, it works the whole body," he explained, undoing the belt of her robe and slipping it from her arms to throw it on a nearby lounger. His eyes did some looking of their own and he had to force himself to remember she was still too weak for what he wanted to do, because the amount of creamy skin he could see was turning him on quicker than he would have imagined possible. He took her hand and started pulling her towards the edge of the pool and she completely panicked, trying to tug her hand out of his. 

"Whoa, what's wrong?" he asked, surprised by his reactions. 

"You're not going to throw me in?" she spluttered, her eyes big and wary. 

"Why the hell would I throw you in?" he said, frowning and then narrowing his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "Honey, can't you swim?" 

"Not really," she said quietly. 

"Not really? So, no then. Do you want to be able to swim?" he asked her, not bothering to find out why she couldn't swim in the first place. 

"I think so, I don't know. What if I sink?" 

"Then I'll be there to catch you, won't I? Come on, we'll get in the shallow end and take it slowly," he said gently, leading her to the steps and helping her down them into the warm water. 

Amy had to admit she enjoyed the feeling of being in the water, but she knew that as soon as she tried stretching out to swim she would sink like a stone and she couldn't hide her trepidation from Mark. 

"Do you really think I'd let you drown?" he asked her, pulling her inexorably out from the shallow end until she could no longer touch the bottom. "Don't panic, just let yourself float." 

She tried to do as he said, but not being able to put her feet on the bottom was making her feel nervous. She grabbed hold of his shoulders, holding onto the only solid thing in the vicinity, and let out a shaky breath once she felt safe again. 

"Now don't be a coward, sweetheart, you gotta learn sometime," he said, unwrapping her arms from his neck but putting his hands under them so she still felt safe. "Right, now I'll take you in so it's a bit shallower okay? Then you're gonna lay on your front in the water to get used to it. I'll hold onto you okay?" He was speaking to her as if she were a child, but she didn't mind at that moment, his voice sounded soothing. 

After fifteen minutes of practising floating and kicking out with her feet, Amy was delighted that she could actually move in the water and not sink straight to the bottom. "I can swim!" she said when she regained her feet again after another floating session, trying to ignore the heat of his palm where he had been supporting her stomach. 

Mark couldn't help grinning at her enthusiasm. "Well, not quite yet, but we're getting there. Want to keep going or are you too tired?" he asked her, not having missed the fact that she was getting more than a little puffed out. 

She grimaced. "I am a bit tired, but I don't want to get out yet," she admitted. 

Mark pulled her towards him and placed his hands on her waist, grinning wickedly down at her. "I could suggest a few things we could do!" 

"Pervert," she said, her lips curving in a smile. 

"How do you know it was something rude? Who's the pervert here, you or me?" he asked, trying to sound outraged. 

"If I am becoming perverted then it's only because of your bad influence!" she retorted, laughing at his thunderstruck expression. 

"Oh you've done it now!" he roared and began walking out into the deeper water, still clutching her. "Now what are you gonna do?" he asked, once he was up to his neck and she had no hope of touching bottom. 

"Don't you dare let me go," she said, looking worriedly down. 

"Honey, I haven't got any intention of ever letting you go," he murmured, pulling her arms around his neck and staring pointedly at her mouth. "You could always wrap those beautiful legs around me, just to make sure you don't drown." 

She dropped her own eyes to his sensuous lips and hoped he was going to kiss her again, even though she knew she could initiate it herself if she felt brave enough. She decided she did, and she leant forward the inch needed and pressed her lips to his, flicking her tongue out to lick curiously at the corners of his mouth, learning him. His shape and his texture intrigued her and she pushed her mouth up against his harder until he parted his lips for her and allowed her access inside, his chest rumbling in a deep groan when she instantly delved inside and traced the edge of his teeth, meeting with his own tongue and rubbing softly against it. She lifted her legs up and slowly wrapped them around his hips, using the buoyancy the water gave her as support, stilling the involuntary withdrawal of her body when she felt how hard he already was. 

Mark had allowed her to do her own thing, but as his body became more aroused he couldn't help taking over from her and deepening the kiss, thrusting his tongue repeatedly into her mouth much as he would like their bodies to join, holding her tightly against him so that her breasts were pressed hard against his chest and he could feel every curve and outline of her warm body. Before too long he was grinding himself against her softness, and it was only the faint whimpers she was making that brought him to his senses. 

He broke off finally and took a deep shuddering breath, closing his eyes as he buried his face in her neck. "Honey, you do things to me I'm not sure are legal!" 

"I only kissed you," she pointed out breathlessly. 

"Yeah, and if you weren't still recovering..." he broke off and lifted his head, puffing out a soft breath. "Come on, let's get you dried and dressed, I don't want you having a relapse." 

He lifted her out of the water with him as he got out, and slowly set her on her feet, his eyes dropping to her breasts. She heard his breath catch and wondered why, looking down herself to see what he was so entranced by. Her nipples had hardened due to the cold air making contact with her wet body and his eyes were riveted to them, his gaze so intense and full of meaning that she blushed and went to cover herself. 

"No, don't you dare," he murmured, pulling her arms back down and lifting her up so his face was on a level with her chest. "I think I have a death wish, but I can't help myself..." he broke off and then put his mouth directly over one hard peak, suckling her through the cloth. 

Amy arched backwards so violently that he had trouble holding her there, not that it once stopped him from enjoying her body. Her hands went to his head and threaded through his wet hair, half holding him to her and half attempting to tug him away, but eventually all such thoughts left her head. The pleasure his mouth caused her was intense and she was shuddering and nearly crying from frustration when he finally stopped and stared at her with glittering eyes. "I guess I'd better stop," he said, smiling grimly at her dazed expression, his breath panting out roughly. "Even if neither of us really want to. Come on," he continued, putting her down on her shaky legs and taking her quickly out of the room so she could cover her tempting body with clothes. 

Amy had just come back downstairs after dressing when the telephone started ringing. She glanced up and down the hall and then shrugged, deciding to get it herself since Maggie was nowhere to be seen. 

"Hello?" 

"Well, well, well. Hello pretty, think I'd forgotten about you?" 

Amy jumped and gasped, her hand going to her throat. It couldn't be, could it? 

"Still there? Well, don't think you can run away this time. You should be more careful what shows you happen to appear on," the voice went on and she felt the blood leave her face. "Seeing those stupid dumb wrestlers carry you out there, I thought all my birthdays had come at once. I know where you are now, pretty, so make sure you wait up for me alright?" he said and then there was a click in her ear, letting her know he had put his telephone down. She shakily followed suit and stood staring at it like it had grown two heads. 

She had hoped she'd never hear Tony Castrogiovanni's voice ever again, but it seemed her hopes had been futile. He had found her again. Now what did she do? She had to tell Vince, he would know how to deal with this. 

Mark found her in the hall still standing staring at the telephone and he frowned, taking in her pale colour. "What's the matter?" 

She jumped at the sound of his voice and cleared her throat. "My ex-boss just rang me." 

"Ex-boss? What ex-boss?" he asked, puzzled. 

"The one who was following me," she said quietly, chewing her lip. 

"The one who sent you those damn letters? He rang you here?" he asked, his voice a growl when he realised who she was talking about. "How the hell did he get this number?" 

"I don't know, he found me again." 

He noticed she was shaking and he pulled her to him, tilting her chin up with one big finger. "What did he say to you?"  
"He said to make sure I waited up for him," she said, taking a deep breath to try and steady her nerves. It didn't work. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, holding onto him as though he could make the phone call go away. "I'm scared." 

She felt him close his huge arms around her tightly, his breath puffing out on her hair as he lowered his head to nuzzle against her. "I know you are, honey. Don't you worry about nothing, I'll make sure he doesn't get you!" His voice was harsh and she could feel his muscles tightening in anger, but it didn't scare her, it made her feel safe. "Hell, if I have to stay glued to your side every second of the day, I will," he vowed. 

His words made her briefly forget her own worry. "Every second?" she asked softly, thinking of what that would be like. 

Mark felt the change in her and pulled back slightly, looking down at her wide eyes. "Yeah, every single second." 

"Even at night?" 

"Oh, yeah. Especially at night," he murmured, bending down to kiss her soft mouth, frowning in concentration as he savoured her. 

By the time he drew back Amy had all but forgotten about the phone call, her entire being focussed on his mouth. 

"But that wouldn't be possible," she said softly, frowning as she thought about it. "You have to work and...and..." 

He leaned down and kissed her again, shutting her up. "I have time due to me. I'll talk to Vince and then maybe we can go stay at my place for a while. This 'Tony' won't be able to trace you there. Plus it may give Vince time to find out where he is and get rid of him." 

"Your place?" 

"Mmm-hmm, in Houston...well, just outside Houston. You'll like it I think," he said, framing her face in his big hands. 

"What's it like?" 

"It's a working ranch. I have people to run it when I'm not there and they live in a house on the estate. My own house is only ever occupied by me," he said, his thumbs stroking her cheeks, "and you, if you agree to join me. I'd really love for you to see the place." 

She couldn't keep the pleased look from her face because he wanted her to see his home, and suddenly she forgot all about Tony and gave a brilliant smile, making him catch his breath. "I'd love to come and stay with you," she said dreamily, still smiling. 

Mark found himself grinning back at her. "I'd love to have you there," he replied, thinking of just where he would like her to be sleeping when she got there. But not straight away, he didn't want to scare her off. "I'll talk to Vince about that later then. First we have to let him know about this phone call. You sit right there," he said, placing her in a chair just inside the hallway and then taking the telephone and ringing Vince. Amy watched him take charge of the situation and tell Vince what had happened, giving advice now and then and listening to what the older man was saying. When he put the phone down he noticed her concerned stare and smiled reassuringly at her, holding his hand out which she hurriedly rushed over and took. "There, Vince is going to call the police and set the wheels in motion. If this Tony person is anywhere nearby they'll find him, so you don't have to worry anymore okay? For now, do you think you're up to going out for lunch?" 

"I think so," she said, not really sure because she felt really tired, but she wanted to stick next to him wherever he went. 

"Good. I've got a rental car outside so we can drive to the nearest diner and have something hot and incredibly fattening to eat, just to help you get some meat on those bones," he said, smirking. 

"And that's the only reason? It's not because you just want something huge to eat then?" she prompted, smiling at his guilty expression. 

"Well, okay, maybe I am getting a bit hungry..." he trailed off and grabbed her up against him again. "Ya wouldn't want me gettin' all thin on ya now would ya girl?" he drawled, grinning unrepentantly. Amy shivered at the deep rumble of his voice, biting her lip and shaking her head, her expression earning a suspicious look from the big man holding her. "Hmm, seems to me ya like when I talk like that," he murmured, thinking back to what she had said once before about his voice being sexy. "I think that I may have to use that to my advantage sometime in the near future!" 

Amy blushed but didn't look away from his mesmerising green eyes, loving every thing about this man and wondering if it would be okay to tell him that. She decided that maybe it would just be embarrassing because she didn't know how he felt about her yet. Besides, they hadn't known each other very long, maybe her feelings were just confused. She didn't really think so, but she would wait and see. 

Mark smiled at the vast array of emotions crossing her face. "Come on, let's go. Today we have the rental, tomorrow my bike will be here and I can finally get you behind me for a nice ride." 

"Your bike?" 

"Yep, one of my Harleys. You won't be scared of getting on a bike will you?" 

"No, I don't think so. I've never been on one and they look kind of fast, but I bet it's fun too!" she said, brightening up at the thought of going for a ride with him. 

"They are fun, you'll enjoy it," he said. he looked down at her as they walked to the car and frowned. "It's cold out here, though, and I don't want you getting any worse. Maybe I'll wait a while, just until you're a little stronger." She looked so crestfallen that he laughed. "It won't be forever, honey, don't look so upset!" 

"I don't want to wait," she grumbled as he put her in the car and closed the door. When he got in beside her he grinned. 

"I bet you don't want to be ill again either do you?" 

"Well, no, but..." 

"No buts! When I think you're good and healthy then we'll go for a ride. Not before, got it?" he asked her, trying to look stern and failing miserably because he couldn't stop smiling when he was with her. 

"Okay, but I don't like it," she said huffily, folding her arms over her chest. 

"Well, well, well. I never knew you sulked. You seemed so sweet," he said, starting the car and driving smoothly away from the house and down the long winding driveway. "Now I find you have an awful temper, you hit people _and_ you sulk. I guess I'm gonna have to sort you out sooner or later." 

"Sort me out?" she asked after a few seconds of silence, wondering what he meant. 

"Yeah. Maybe if I tanned that hide of yours you would go back to being sweet and lovely to me," he mused, casting her a sidelong glance and smirking. 

Amy laughed at his teasing. "Like I'd let you get away with spanking me!" 

"Oh really, you think you could stop me?" 

"I didn't say I'd be able to stop you, I said I wouldn't let you get away with it," she replied, smirking back at him. 

"Oh? And what would you do?" he asked her, scoffing at her ability to make him pay. 

"Hey, don't be too confident just because you're bigger than me! I managed to get you down in the ring, remember?" 

"True," he admitted grudgingly, smiling at the memory. "But that doesn't mean you'll ever be able to do it again. I always learn from my mistakes, you know?" 

"Okay, well, we'll see then won't we?" Amy said, and gave a laugh at his outraged expression. 

"You seem to be feeling very brave for someone who happens to be very weak at the moment," he said, stopping at a set of lights and tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. 

"Well, that's because I know you wouldn't be mean to me when I'm not well, so I can pretty much say what I like to you at the moment!" she replied smugly, watching with concealed pleasure the way he handled the car. She loved watching him. 

"And that's what you think, is it? You realise I'll only add them all up again and pay you back at a later date?" he replied, equally smugly. 

Amy's face fell and she chewed on her lip. "Oh, I didn't think of that." 

"Ah, see? Shows you should use your brain more!" Mark said as he pulled into the parking lot of a local diner. 

"I use my brain a lot!" she protested as he turned in his seat to look at her affectionately. 

He leaned forward suddenly and slanted his mouth over hers, expertly opening her lips and delving inside to taste her. Amy's eyes closed and she leaned helplessly into his embrace, forgetting what they had been talking about as he ravaged her mouth. 

"Use your brain now, then," he said huskily as he pulled back, watching with amusement as she stared blankly up at him. "See? I can make you go dumb in less than five seconds," he crowed, laughing when she suddenly realised what he was saying and slapped his arm. "Attacking me again, sweetheart? Okay then, we can start from right now if you like. That's one," he said as he got out of the car. 

Amy didn't wait for him to reach her side, opening her door and jumping out just as he got to her and giving him a cheeky grin. 

He put his hands on his hips and glared at her. "What did I tell you about that? Get back in the car!" he didn't wait for her to reply before he bundled her back in and then made an enormous show of opening her door for her and offering his hand to help her out. Amy was laughing so hard by now that her eyes were full of tears. 

"You fool," she said, giggling at his mannerisms. 

"But you love me anyway," he murmured, kissing her fingers. "And that's two," he continued, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm and escorting her inside the diner, missing her shocked expression at his words. Did he know how she felt? Did it matter if he did? She decided not to worry about it right now, and simply enjoy the meal. 

They spent a pleasant couple of hours eating and chatting, Mark trying to make her eat far more than she could comfortably cope with right now. He shrugged when she left a whole heap of food and helped himself to it. "I hate waste," he said, trying to defend himself as he wolfed down the remainder of her meal. Amy watched him happily and then gave a huge yawn, catching his attention. 

"You're tired," he said softly, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "I should have seen it earlier, you aren't ready to be out just yet. Come on," he said, throwing a wad of money on the table and getting up, "let's get you home." 

"I'm okay," Amy protested belatedly, not wanting him to leave her alone at the house and go off somewhere else. He read her expression correctly and smiled, pulling her against his side as they walked out to the car. 

"I ain't going anywhere, honey, so you don't have to look like that." 

"You're not?" 

"Nope. Vince asked me to stay at your house instead of a hotel and, if it's okay with you of course, that's exactly what I'll be doing. Got any objections?" 

"No!" she said quickly before he could change his mind. 

He chuckled and put her in the car, joining her there a few seconds later. "Are you saying you'll enjoy me being with you?" 

"I might be," she admitted, trying to not sound to eager, even if it was a little bit late. 

"Hey, don't try and change your mind now, you're stuck with me!" he said, sounding slightly offended. 

For a second she thought he was serious, but then she looked at him and saw the teasing light in his eyes and she couldn't help smiling. "How long will you be staying?" 

"Until after Christmas, I've got matches scheduled until New Year. After that I'll arrange for us to go to Houston, and I can finally have you on your own!" He gave her a leering look and started the car. 

"What will you do to me?" she asked after they'd been driving for a few minutes. 

"You sure you really want to know?" he asked, his voice deep. 

She glanced at his profile and bit her lip. "Maybe not." 

"Coward," he murmured, concentrating on getting back to the house in one piece before his wayward thoughts made him crash. 

Amy sat and watched him drive, content to simply do that. She almost didn't realise that the car had come to a stop and that they were home, it was only the way he sat and stared at her that made her aware of where they were. 

"Planning on sitting here all day?" 

"I wasn't paying attention," she said, smiling as she reached for the door handle, knowing it would get a rise out of him. 

"Don't even think about it," he warned, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. He released it a second later and jumped out of the car, staring at her through the windscreen as he made his way round to her door, opening it with exaggerated courtesy. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when she got out and walked straight past him. "What's this? Not gonna call me a fool again?" 

"What would be the point in telling you something you already know?" she said cheekily, grinning at him and continuing indoors with him following her. 

"Oh I like that. Well, that's three I guess," he said with a smile, his hand snaking out to rest in the small of her back as he guided her up the stairs and into her sitting room. "What are we doing up here?" 

"I thought you might like to rest for a while, watch TV and have a cup of coffee or something?" she said, feeling nervous all of a sudden now she had him in her room again. 

"Oh?" he murmured, moving closer until he was towering over her, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "I like the sound of the 'or something'. What would that consist of darlin'?" 

Amy was caught by his green gaze and couldn't look away. She tried to think of something to say and couldn't come up with anything plausible, so she opted for the truth. "Just a cuddle, if you wanted to." 

"Oh I think I could manage that," he said, picking her up suddenly and then sitting down on the big sofa, settling her on his lap. He reached for the remote control and turned the TV on, flicking through the channels until he found some football and then leaning back with a smile on his face. It soon disappeared when he looked at Amy and found her staring at the television with a grimace on her face. "What's wrong sweetheart? Don't you like football?" 

She turned her gaze to him. "Well, yes...but this is American football. Oh, I mean, I like soccer, but I can't get into this for some reason. I don't really understand it all that well." 

"Well, that's okay, I can explain the rules for you, then maybe you'll enjoy it, huh?" He proceeded to do just that, explaining what a player was doing when she asked. 

She didn't really enjoy it, but she did love the feeling of being on his lap and his big arms holding her and she settled her head on his chest, giving into the temptation that had been with her all day. She closed her eyes and relaxed fully, her weak body finally making her go to sleep. 

Mark's arms tightened around her and he leaned his head back on the sofa, letting his eyes drift closed, the football game forgotten. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty 

"Linda, come and look at these two," Vince said, laughing as he grabbed his wife's hand and led her along to Amy's sitting room where she and Mark were fast asleep on the sofa, the television blaring in the background. He had only got in from the office half an hour ago and when he had come upstairs to change his clothes he had decided to look in on Amy just to see how she was feeling. He had been amused to find both of them snoring on the sofa. 

"Ah, don't they look sweet. Do you think we should wake them up for dinner?" Linda asked, smiling as she stared at the younger couple. 

"I guess we should. But it won't be ready for about an hour yet will it? Plus we have to wait for Steph. We'll leave them for now. God knows she could do with the rest," Vince said, pleased to see Amy almost back to normal. 

"So you've finally come to a decision about them then?" Linda prompted, raising her eyebrows. 

"I guess so. He's good for her, I've said it before. Now all I have to do is learn to butt out of her life and everything should work out just fine. She loves him you know," Vince said, his gaze returning to his goddaughter who was laying so trustingly against the big man. 

Linda followed his gaze and smiled, taking her husbands hand. "I know she does. He loves her too, he just doesn't know it yet." 

"Poor guy," Vince murmured, smiling at his wife. "He'll be strung up like a prize fish before he knows it, just like I was." 

"You didn't have any complaints as I recall," she said, looking at him affectionately. 

"Well, no, not that you knew about anyway. That's why I feel sorry for Mark. Poor, stupid, dumb guy," he said, laughing as his wife hit his arm as they walked away from the room. "I've had an idea about Amy, if it's okay with you," Vince said, looking suddenly serious. 

"What is it?" 

"Come down into the office and I'll tell you all about it," he replied mysteriously, looking pleased with himself. 

Linda went to get changed, shaking her head and smiling. She had learnt in the past that her husband always looked pleased with himself when he had done something he considered hugely important. She wondered what he had planned this time. 

Mark stirred slightly as Linda and Vince walked away from the door, their voices having disturbed his light sleep. He lifted his eyelids slowly and immediately looked down to see Amy laying against him, her soft weight pressed against his hard muscle. A smile touched his mouth as he looked at her. She was so pretty. He had missed her massively over the last couple of weeks and his mind was going in circles trying to think of how to deal with what he was feeling. The best thing to do was to have her travel with him all the time, and in truth she would be there a lot anyway, what with her job. But there would still be times they'd have to be apart, and he didn't like to think about that. If they were married she could be with him every single day. His mouth dropped open as that thought skipped suddenly across his mind. Where the hell had that come from? Married? Been there, done that, and it was like living in hell. Yeah, but wasn't that because of the person you married? a little voice reminded him. His eyes fell to look at the soft features again and images of family life with Amy started filling his head. Amy wearing a wedding dress, of being heavily pregnant with his child, of them both going to their kids school for a play - he found himself smiling goofily. Amy wasn't Sara. Hell she was nothing at all like her. She would love him, she would love their children. She wouldn't betray him, he was certain of that. 

He watched as her brows drew together and she stirred against him, mumbling something as she turned her face into his chest and rubbed her cheek on the fabric of his shirt. 

"Hey sweetheart, time to wake up," he said softly, stroking the back of her head. 

"Don'wanna," she mumbled, her voice muffled in his shirt. 

"Yeah, well, if you don't wake up now you'll wake up at four in the morning and won't be able to get back to sleep. Come on, baby," he said, pulling her into a more upright position. 

"Bully," she complained, her eyes popping open but the lids still drooping slightly where she was tired. 

"Grouch," he said back, grinning at her mutinous expression. "Wanna have a fight?" 

"Nah, I'd beat you too easily," she said softly, smiling back at him. 

"Care to bet on that?" 

"I would hate to see you lose, honey," she said and laughed at his expression. 

"You know good and well I wouldn't.....did you just call me honey?" he said, his eyebrows rising, a look of amazement freezing his features briefly. 

"Oh, well, yes. I won't if you don't like it," she said, her voice getting quieter as she became more unsure of herself. 

"Oh I like it," he said, starting to smile. "I think that's the first endearment you've used on me. I like it a lot. Say it again." 

"Honey," she said obediently, her eyes sparkling. 

"Mmm, very nice. Got any more?" he prompted, raising an eyebrow. 

"Sweetheart?" she ventured, her smile getting wider. 

"Oh yeah," he murmured, lowering his mouth to hers for a quick kiss. "More." 

"Darling," she said softly, opening her mouth as his lips covered hers again, kissing her deeply. 

"More," he growled as he broke the kiss again. 

Amy searched for another word, finally settling on "Baby?" 

Mark's growl deepened and he took her mouth again, forcing it wide open as he ravaged the soft interior, his tongue stabbing deeply inside. Amy felt herself moved so she was laying on her back on the couch and he lowered himself over her, never once breaking contact with her mouth. She didn't complain, it felt like heaven to be loved by him and she didn't want it to end. He lifted his hand and gently kneaded her breast, his fingers pinching together lightly over her hardening nipple, making it peak even more and press up eagerly into his hand. 

When he broke the kiss she half expected him to sit them both up, but he seemed to be in a sexual daze, his body commanding his movements. His hands feverishly pulled her top up and pushed her bra out of the way so he could get at her breasts, his mouth clamping over one hard nipple and suckling her. His actions were so designed to arouse her that she didn't have a hope of stopping him, her body arching towards his tormenting mouth and begging for more as her fingers speared through his hair and held him to her. 

She vaguely felt his knee parting her legs so he could settle against her, his hips thrusting uncontrollably towards her heat, trying to ease the ache even through their clothing. It took some time, but eventually his loss of control finally started to seep through his fog of desire and he drew in a huge gulp of air, tearing himself away from her while he was still sane enough to do so and jumping off the couch, trying to calm himself down. 

Amy watched him blearily as he ran a big hand through his hair and breathed heavily, his eyes running over her and telling her graphically that he wanted to be inside her. She pulled her top down to cover herself and sat up slowly, her eyes lowering as she swallowed, feeling her own heartbeat start to return to normal. 

Mark watched her fumble with her clothing and then blush, her eyes looking at the carpet in front of her. He walked back to the couch and slumped down on it next to her, putting one arm around her shoulders so he could draw her close to him. "You know what darlin'?" he asked, tilting her chin up so she had to look at him. "I think that maybe you shouldn't use any more endearments on me." 

"Why...oh, was that why?" she asked, referring to the way he had just been. 

"Yeah it was. I had no idea I was that easily turned on just by a few simple words! Promise me you won't use them again unless I ask you to. Especially not in public," he said, looking shocked. "God knows what I could do in front of other people!" 

A wicked side she had never shown before made her smile. "So I can't call you honey? Or darling? Or baby..." she broke off and yelped when he grabbed her roughly and put her astride his legs, his teeth gritted in mock fury. 

"Don't tease me unless you want me inside you right now! Can you feel this?" he asked, his eyes sparkling at her as he ground his hips up into hers. He nodded when the smile left her face and she went bright red. "Using those words makes me as hard as a rock and more turned on than I've ever been before. I don't have everlasting willpower you know, so lay off okay?" 

Amy caught her bottom lip in her teeth as she studied him. "Are you mad at me?" 

"No, I ain't mad, honey. I'm just frustrated is all," he said, his voice softening as he studied her just as intently. A grin suddenly spread across his face. "Gonna let me fuck your brains out?" 

"Mark!" she squealed, shocked at his language even after knowing him now for some weeks. 

"Don't give me that shocked shit. Gonna let me?" he asked again, raising an eyebrow and grinning at her. 

"Not when you put it like that!" she said, giving him a glare. 

"Okay. How about....let's see.....gonna let me screw you?" he said, his eyes crinkling with laughter as her glare intensified. "Bone you? Hump you??" 

He laughed out loud when she whacked him over the head. "Someone should have spanked some manners into you when you were little," she said, trying not to smile at him. 

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You could always do it now, if you like?" 

"Only if I had a whip!" she said, earning another huge grin and raised eyebrows. 

"Real kinky, huh? Gonna tie me up first?" 

The smile broke through her reserve as she studied his face. "Like you'd let me." 

"Yeah, you have a point," he admitted. He glanced down briefly and pursed his lips. "I think Mark junior's going to sleep." 

Amy took a second to realise what he meant and she blushed again. "Good," she muttered. 

"If you keep blushing like that, Scarlet, he'll wake up again," he said, running a finger down her hot cheek. 

"How is my blushing going to make it...er...you know," she said softly, looking down and then up again. 

"You would be shocked, sweetheart, if you knew the things about you that make me hard. Hell, just watching you breathe turns me on. Maybe it's my age," he mused, smiling warmly at her. "Perhaps old folk don't need Viagra after all?" 

"You're not old!" she protested, frowning. 

"Compared to you I am." He studied her expression. "Ok, sweetie, if I ain't old, what am I?" 

"You're perfect," she breathed, her eyes tracing his features raptly. 

"I ain't, but you're gonna be in trouble if you keep looking at me like that, and you ain't up to the sort of things I have in mind." He smiled at the almost worshipping look she gave him, making him feel like a God in her eyes. "Shall we go downstairs and see if Vince and Linda are back yet?" 

"I guess so," she sighed, leaning forward and putting her arms around his neck so she could cuddle up to him. 

Mark chuckled. "That doesn't feel much like you intend going downstairs, darlin'." 

"I like it right here," she mumbled against his neck, turning her face so she could smooth her lips over the pulse point beating furiously there. 

He drew in a sharp breath. "So do I, but....we can't. Not yet at least," he said, grabbing her neck and pulling her gently away from him, tempering his actions with a smile. "Okay?" 

"Okay," she agreed, moving off his lap as he started to stand up. She held onto his hands as they finally made it to their feet, feeling slightly unsteady. 

Mark arched an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay?" 

"Yes, just...my legs feel a bit wobbly," she said, frowning. 

"Mmm, I wonder why that could be?" he asked her, grinning wickedly and feigning shock when she slapped his arm. "Always attacking me, ain't ya? Guess that's something I'll have to get used to, hmm? Come on, let's get moving." 

Amy let him guide her out of the room and down the stairs, smiling when she found Vince and Linda getting the dining table ready for dinner. They often did things around the house, saving the housekeeper some steps in the process. 

Vince looked up at Mark as the two men sat down and he smiled knowingly. "Have a nice sleep?" 

Mark instantly knew he'd seen them laying on the couch and thanked God that he hadn't come by the room a little while later. He plastered a devil-may-care smile on his face. "Yeah, thanks. I had the softest pillow a man could ask for." 

Vince pinned him with a look that would have cowed a weaker man. His words, however, surprised him. "I guess you did, at that." 

Marks eyebrows shot up. "What's this? You ain't gonna bite my head off?" 

Vince shook his head. "No. I have other things to think about today, luckily for you. Amy," he said, turning to face her and catching her attention. "I have a surprise for you." 

"For me?" she asked, her brows drawing together slightly. 

"Mmm-hmm. Well, actually two surprises, but one of them is more for Mark here. Steph will be here with them in a few minutes," Vince replied, grinning. 

"Oh," Amy said, not be able to think of anything to say. She twisted her lips thoughtfully as she studied her godfather. "What are they?" 

"Come on now, Peaches, you don't really expect me to tell you? Ah," he said as they heard a car coming up the sweeping driveway. "Seems like you won't have to wait much longer, will you?" 

Both Amy and Mark turned towards the hallway, there curiosity piqued. The murmur of voices was heard as the front door opened and they could clearly hear Stephanie laugh, then a masculine voice. Although they couldn't actually see them from where they were Amy instantly widened her eyes. "Is that...?" she said, her eyes shooting to Vince. 

"Guess you'll have to go and find out for yourself!" he said, smiling at her affectionately and then chuckling as she rushed out into the hallway, Mark close on her heels. 

"Shane!" she squealed and threw herself at him. 

Shane caught her up and swung her around in a circle, laughing out loud at her enthusiasm and nodding a greeting at Mark over her shoulder. "How ya doing sweetie?" he asked her once he had put her down. 

"I'm good. Are you okay? I haven't seen you for so long!" 

Mark watched them chat with a slight frown. He had never seen her this exuberant before, all her shyness seemingly melted away. Still, he hadn't known her long he supposed. He finally looked away from them when a tall figure moved into the house and walked straight over to him. 

"Still the smaller of the two of us, I see," Kevin Nash said, grinning cockily at him. 

"Son of a Bitch, what the hell are you doing here?" Mark said, clapping the big blonde man on the shoulder and laughing. "And what's all this smaller shit. You ain't but an inch taller than me and you are a hell of a lot uglier!" 

Kevin laughed at the banter, pleased to see his friend again after so long. "Yeah well, that still makes me bigger, ya runt. As for why I'm here, well I'm back buddy." 

"Back? In the WWE?" Mark asked, looking amazed. 

"Yep. I'll be making a surprise appearance at your match next Saturday." 

"My match? Why haven't I heard anything about this before? What ya gonna do, save me or something?" he asked. 

"No, just interrupting and pissing you off. You know how good I am at doing that! Anyway, enough of that shit, tell me all about that pretty young thing Shane's talking to," Kevin said, turning and running his eyes over Amy's figure. "A bit thin, maybe, bit short, but not bad." 

Mark had to briefly remind himself that this man was his friend. "A bit thin, bit short and a lot mine," he said sharply, making the big man turn back to him in surprise. 

"You hooked up again? Serious this time?" Kevin asked. 

Mark nodded. "And I'm happy," he said, letting his smile return and his eyes stare at Amy when she turned to look at him. 

Kevin studied him and pursed his lips. "You know, you actually do look happy, for a change. She must be good for you." 

"She is, she's..everything," he said softly, his eyes softening. 

Kevin looked at his friend and knew instantly he was deeply in love. He wondered if Mark knew it himself yet. "So where did you two meet then? And are you going to introduce me?" 

"Amy is Vince's goddaughter and he introduced us. I've only know her a few weeks, but it feels like a lot longer." He smiled and then narrowed his eyes on his friends face. "And no I ain't gonna introduce ya!" 

"Why not? Scared she'll swoon at my good looks and you'll lose her forever?" Kevin joked. 

Mark curled his lip and went to reply, but Shane brought Amy over to them and he had to shut up. "Hey honey," he said, pulling Amy to his side and holding her there with a possessive arm and an meanigful look at Kevin. "Good to see you Shane." 

"Good to see you too, big man. I hear you've been taking good care of our girl here?" 

"I try my best," he murmured, smiling as Amy snuggled a little closer to him. The sound of Kevin clearing his throat made him look up again, and he rolled his eyes with a snort. "Okay, okay. Amy, this big ugly lug is Kevin Nash, otherwise know as Big Sexy or Diesel or about one hundred other names that I can't say in a public place! Kev, this is Amber Travis, or Amy as she's known to all of us." 

"Nice to meet you darlin', that's a pretty name you've got there. Matches your face," Kevin drawled in his sexiest voice, giving her his best grin and holding her small hand for far too long, knowing that Mark was starting to get pissed off. 

"Nice to meet you too," she said quietly, shy of this big man. He was as huge as Mark if not more so and he had long blonde hair pulled back from his face in a ponytail. He also had a beard and moustache, and he was very good looking, but he was no match for Mark. 

"English huh? Nice accent," he said, grinning broadly at Mark. 

"Let's go join Vince and Linda, shall we?" Mark said tightly, glaring at Kevin as he steered Amy away from him. 

Mark was possessive for the rest of the evening, never leaving Amy's side and always making sure he was touching her in some way, staking his claim in case Kevin got any ideas. For his part, Kevin seemed to find the whole thing amusing. 

Just as it was getting late the phone rang and Steph rushed out to answer it, having been expecting a call. But she came back seconds later and told Amy it was for her. 

Amy had forgotten all about her earlier call from Tony and so her guard was down when she went into the hall to take the call. 

"Hello again, pretty. Waiting up like I said?" Tony growled into her ear and she gasped and slammed the phone down. A few seconds later it rang again and she just stood staring at it like it was alive. Mark came out in the hall and frowned. 

"What's the matter honey?" 

"Tony," she said simply, staring at the still ringing phone. 

"Will someone please get that?" Vince bellowed from the dining room. 

Amy automatically picked up the receiver again. "Don't ever do that again you bitch, or you'll regret it!" Tony screamed down the line at her. 

Amy flinched and pulled the receiver away from her ear, looking helplessly at Mark. He looked furious and he snatched the phone out of her hand, listening to the stream of abuse that Tony was spewing out with ever increasing anger. "You son of a bitch!" he yelled into the phone and the line instantly went dead. 

Everyone in the dining room heard his bellow and they all spilled out into the hallway, staring in astonishment as Mark flung the phone across the floor, ripping the line out of the wall. Amy was standing looking faint, her eyes huge. 

"Was that him again?" Vince asked, moving swiftly over to Amy with the intention of comforting her, but Mark grabbed her to him first, tucking her head against his chest and soothingly stroking her back. 

"Yeah, that was him. You should have heard what he said!" Mark said, frowning. 

"Amy I don't want you answering the phone again, okay? At least until this sick bastard is caught, you got that?" Vince said, looking at her with concern. 

She nodded numbly and wrapped her arms around Mark's waist, clinging to him as he comforted her. 

"Who was that?" Kevin asked and Shane came up next to him, looking equally interested. Vince gave them all a brief history of what was happening and they all started looking incredulous, then angry. 

"I'm going to call the police, have them maybe tap the line, or something. Take care of her," Vince said, his frown getting deeper as he walked to his study and shut himself inside. 

"You okay, Scarlet?" Mark asked her, looking down at her bent head. 

"I'm tired," she whispered, not looking up at him and not moving from his embrace. "Can you take me upstairs?" 

Mark didn't need asking twice. He scooped her up in his big arms and carried her up the staircase, not sparing a glance for anyone else. 

"Baby, are you okay?" he asked her once he had her laid on the bed and was sat next to her stroking her hair back from her face. 

"Yes," she said quietly, shrugging and looking at him with big, worried eyes. "Mark....what if he comes here?" 

He felt a rush of fear for this woman and he lay next to her, pulling her to lay on his chest whilst he stroked her back. "He ain't gonna get you honey, we'll make sure of it." 

"What if you can't stop him?" 

"We'll stop him," he said decisively, hugging her closer and dropping a kiss on her head. 

"But..." she began, still caught in the fear she felt when she heard Tony's voice again. 

"No buts, we'll protect you. I ain't gonna let anything happen to you, sweetheart, don't you know that?" 

"I guess so, but...sometimes things happen. It's just...it's scary...he's scary. It was bad enough before when I worked for him, when he kept trying to touch me and stuff, and then the threats. But now, it just seems he's willing to do just about anything to get at me, and I don't know what I did to deserve that," she said, voicing all the things she had kept bottled up. 

"You haven't done anything to deserve this, baby, not one thing. In his eyes it's probably because you didn't find him irresistible. He's a sick psycho, that's all," Mark said, feeling her finally start to relax against him. "If it hadn't been you, it would have been another woman. The police will get him and he'll pay for this." 

"Do you really think so?" 

"Yes, I really do. Don't worry about it so much, you're safe here, with me. Try and get some sleep honey, I ain't going anywhere," he murmured, settling himself more comfortably and closing his own eyes. 

Amy pushed her worries aside and concentrated on the feeling of being held close to the man she loved, and eventually she drifted off. 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty-one 

A few hours later Mark was ripped out of his peaceful slumber by shrill screams and he shot upright in bed, almost breaking the lamp as he tried to turn it on. Amy was in the throes of a nightmare and was thrashing about next to him, making the most terrified noises he had ever heard outside of a horror film. Just as he was about to wake her up the door burst open and three sets of eyes stared into the room. Vince, Shane and Linda all stood gaping as he gently shook Amy awake and then pulled her quickly into a hug, rocking her and murmuring even as she briefly fought to get out of his embrace. A few seconds later she quieted and lay against him, her breath hitching in her throat from the fading fear of her dream. 

"Are you okay sweetie?" Linda asked, sitting on the edge of the bed where she was faced and rubbing her shoulder. Amy nodded, not feeling very capable of talking right then. 

"Okay. well, we'll get back to bed, but if you need us just call, okay?" Linda said and smiled when Amy nodded again and snuggled deeper into Mark's arms. 

"Night honey," Vince murmured from the door, the sentiment echoed by Shane. 

Mark faintly heard Stephanie talking then everything went quiet, and he pulled back from Amy slightly. "Want to talk about it, my baby?" 

"It was just a bad dream, that's all," she whispered, trying to get back into his arms. 

"Was it about Tony?" Mark asked, his expression grim when she nodded. "If I ever get my hands on him, he'll wish he was dead." 

Amy shuddered and he finally drew her back against him, holding her as tight as he dared. "You're okay sweetheart, I'm right here," Mark murmured, squeezing her. "Feel like sleeping again or would you like to get up?" 

"What time is it?" she asked, wondering why he'd want to get up in the middle of the night. 

"It's nearly four in the morning," he replied, glancing at his watch. 

"I guess we should get some more sleep," she said, wondering if she'd be able to drop off again. 

"Hmm, I guess so. Want me to make you feel all better before you close those beautiful eyes?" 

Amy looked up at him and saw the sparkle in his eyes, the way he looked at her as if she were the tastiest morsel on earth, and she gave a slow smile and nodded. 

"Well, gosh, if I really have to..." he said, grinning cheekily before he lowered her to the mattress and proceeded to make good his word. 

Amy had no trouble getting back to sleep when he finally found the strain too much to bear. 

*********** 

The next three days were fairly uneventful for Amy, aside from accompanying Mark to the Arena to cheer him on from the sidelines. No more calls came from Tony and she was wondering and hoping if Mark bellowing at him had scared him off. She saw Kevin Nash again whilst she was looking for Tammy and he stopped her. "Hey, how's it going?" he asked, smiling at her. 

"Fine thanks, you?" she replied, still a bit shy with him. 

"Oh, yeah, everythings going well so far. So tell me, had any more telephone calls from that guy?" 

Amy shook her head. "No, thank goodness. Er...I'm sorry I just disappeared on you the other night. I didn't even say goodnight or anything." 

"Don't sweat it, I think we all understood." He stared down at her and twisted his lips thoughtfully. "What are you doing right now?" 

"I was just looking for a friend of mine, but she seems to have vanished," she said, shrugging. 

"So you're at a loose end then? How about you come have some lunch with me? You haven't already eaten have you?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows. 

"No, but....er..." she hesitated, wondering if Mark would mind. He had been extremely possessive in front of this man the other night. 

"Don't worry about Mark," Kevin said, grinning. "We're very good friends, despite the way he acted at Vince's. He won't mind. Anyway, I can tell you some things about him that'll turn your hair white. How about it?" 

Amy found herself curious about what Mark used to be like and she smiled. "Okay." 

"Great!" Kevin said, taking her arm and leading her to the restaurant. 

In the shadows behind them, a pair of eyes watched them walk away together and narrowed, having heard every word they had said. Sara sneered as she looked the younger woman over from afar. "So you're the one," she whispered to herself, a cold smile tilting her mouth up. "Not for long." She turned and darted down the corridor, heading for the womens locker room and the one person she knew loved a bit of gossip, Dawn Marie. 

She found her preening herself in front of the mirror, and her eyes widened when she saw Sara behind her. "Sara? What are you doing here?" 

Sara plastered a nice smile on her face and shrugged. "I was staying nearby and I phoned and asked Vince if it would be okay to come and see some people," she lied glibly. "He didn't seem to have a problem with that, so here I am! How are you Dawn?" 

Dawn gave a small smile and looked at Sara through several layers of make-up. "I'm okay I guess. What about you? You had the baby?" 

"Yeah, a little boy. He's cute," she said, a touch of real warmth in her eyes. 

"Where is he?" 

"Oh, my parents are watching him for me right now. He's a bit tiny to bring to a place like this yet, but maybe I'll bring him in for you all to see sometime soon?" She smiled happily as she saw Dawn starting to thaw out a bit. "So...er, how's Mark?" 

"He's fine, seems really happy. He was like a psycho after you left, but he's good now," Dawn said. 

"Is he seeing anyone?" 

Dawn frowned. "Why would you want to know that?" 

"I was just wondering, that's all," she said, shrugging nonchalantly. "It doesn't matter really. Oh," she said, changing the subject quickly, "I just saw Kevin Nash. Is he back?" 

"I haven't seen him yet, but I hear he has a new contract," Dawn said. 

"That's nice for him. He looked happy enough and he had a girl with him, must be his girlfriend or something. Do you know who she is?" Sara asked, looking innocent. 

"Like I said, I haven't seen him. But I may have seen her around somewhere, what did she look like?" 

"She was short, had long red hair, nice figure if you like that sort of thing I suppose. I thought I heard her talk and she sounded....English?" she probed, giving Dawn a confused look. 

"English? But...that sounds like.." Dawn broke off and narrowed her eyes at Sara. "What were they doing?" 

"Just chatting and they went off in the direction of the restaurant. I only assumed she was his girlfriend because they were holding hands, but maybe he has a sister I don't know about?" she added, hiding the hard glint in her eyes. 

"I think he does have a sister, but that isn't her." Dawn said, frowning. 

"Who is she then?" Sara asked again. 

Dawn looked at her carefully and then shrugged. She didn't quite trust Sara still, and she wasn't going to offer any information. "I'm not sure. Anyway, it was nice seeing you again, but I have to be somewhere. See you around," she said and left the room in a hurry, going in search of Mark. 

She found Glenn first. "Where's Mark?" she asked him abruptly. 

Glenn didn't have much love for this particular diva and he gave her a none too friendly glare. "I don't know. What do you want with him?" 

"I need to ask him about Amy," she said, pleased to see a spark of interest in his eyes. 

"What about Amy?" 

"Oh, nothing much," she said, smiling smugly. She did love to gossip. "Just that she's been seen getting cosy with Kevin Nash, that's all. I thought Mark should know." 

Glenn frowned. "That's bullshit!" 

"Oh really? Well, they went in the direction of the restaurant, so why don't you go see for yourself?" she gave him a sweet smile and then walked away. 

Glenn walked off in the opposite direction, his frown getting deeper. Amy and Kevin? No way. Amy wouldn't play Mark like that, he was sure of it, she seemed to nice. But then, so had Sara when he first knew her, so what the hell did he know? He decided to find Mark and tell him before someone else did. 

He found him near their dressing room, chatting to Kurt Angle. He was laughing at something the smaller man was saying and Glenn almost walked away again, not wanting to break his happy mood. It had been such a long time since he had been that way. 

Mark turned and saw him before he could leave. "Hey Glenn, what's up?" 

"Er...could we have a talk?" he asked, feeling uncomfortable. 

Mark frowned as he saw Glenn fidget. The last time he had been like that was when he spoke to him about Sara and Mark had knocked him through the door. What now? he wondered. He nodded and headed into the dressing room, throwing himself on the couch and waiting. "Well?" 

"Look, Mark, I heard a rumour and I thought I should tell you before someone else does, so don't get mad okay?" Glenn said, raising his eyebrows and then instantly frowning again as he thought of how to say this. "It's about Amy." 

Mark sat up straight, his chin coming up. "What about her?" 

"Remember I'm just the messenger okay?" Glenn said, stalling. 

"Fine, what about her?" 

"Someone saw her and Kevin getting cosy," Glenn said reluctantly. 

"Amy and Kevin?" Mark asked calmly, his expression unreadable. 

"Yeah. Look, man, I don't necessarily believe it, but..." 

"..we've been proved wrong in the past," Mark finished for him, his brows lowering. "She wouldn't do that." 

"Well, I'm just saying what I heard. Apparently they went to the restaurant," Glenn said, shrugging. 

Mark went still and stared at the door, his frown deepening and his jaw hardening as he tried to fight off the suspicion Glenn's words had caused. "She wouldn't do that," he said again, through his teeth this time. All the same, he jumped up and made his way towards the restaurant, haivng to see for himself. 

Glenn stood and watched him go, feeling like shit and hoping that Dawn Marie had got it all wrong. 

Mark stalked into the restaurant and looked around, scanning the large room until his eyes settled on Amy's back. He walked slowly over towards the table she was sitting at, his eyes taking in the figure of Kevin Nash sitting opposite her, grinning at her as he suddenly took one of her hands in his. Mark felt his temper ignite when he heard Amy laughing and his legs ate up the distance between them. 

Kevin and Amy both glanced up as Mark stood next to their table, neither of them looking particularly guilty. Until Mark looked down pointedly at their hands and Amy snatched hers back, her face flushing. 

"Hey, buddy," Kevin said, his brow wrinkling in confusion when Mark glared at him for real this time. "What's wrong?" 

"What the fuck are you two doing?" Mark asked, his voice quiet and deadly calm, despite his words. 

"We're just having lunch," Kevin said slowly, looking at Amy and then at Mark again, sudden understanding hitting him. "You surely didn't think..." 

"Think what? That you two were having a cosy little meal together, holding hands?" Mark snapped, his voice still fairly quiet but not so calm anymore. 

Amy stared up at him in horror. He actually thought...? "We weren't holding hands..." she began and he glared down at her, his eyes so cold she stopped speaking. 

"Don't fucking lie to me. I saw you," he said, his words making the colour drain from her face. 

"Yeah, okay, I was holding her hand, but it isn't the way you think," Kevin said, standing up and facing his friend, his movement making Mark tun away from Amy and stand with his back to her. "She made a comment..." 

"Save it," Mark said, his temper starting to take control of him. "I don't need to hear your fucking pathetic excuses, my eyes have told me everything I need to know!" 

"Then you weren't looking properly, were you?" Kevin snarled at him, losing his own formidable temper. "You fucking listen to me, you bastard!" he snapped when Mark went to cut him off again and he was surprised when Mark actually waited for him to speak. "Amy made a comment, saying I reminded her of a gypsy, only blonde, and I was kidding her that I knew how to read her palm. That's why I was holding her hand, and that's the only reason!" 

Mark blinked at Kevin and his temper started to leave him as quickly as it had arrived. "That was what you were doing?" 

"Yes. Why would you think it was anything else? You're my friend, although God only knows why!" 

"Someone said they saw you two getting cosy," Mark admitted, pissed off that he still had a niggling doubt in the back of his mind. 

"Then someone lied," Kevin said, his eyes looking over Mark's shoulder briefly and then right at him again. "And who it was is your problem. So is the fact that your girlfriend just walked off." 

Mark swung around and saw that Amy's seat was empty, her food left half eaten, and he swore loudly. "Ah fuck!" 

"My sentiments exactly. Why don't you think before you speak next time?" 

Mark shook his head. "I'm a world class specialist in putting my foot in it," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the door where Amy had gone. He looked back at Kevin. "I'm sorry, man." 

"You should be. I guess you have good reason, but you know me better than that. Go and find Amy, and hope she'll be as forgiving as I am!" Kevin gave a tight smile and walked away, still pissed off that his friend could have thought he'd betray him like that. 

Mark watched him go and grimaced. Way to fuck things up, he congratulated himself. "Well, no point putting it off," he said to himself, making the people at the nearby tables look at him strangely before he went in search of Amy. 

Sara, sitting in the corner of the restaurant, smiled coldly as she watched him go. The seeds of doubt were being sown and she knew he wouldn't be able to get them out of his mind now. 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty-two 

Amy hurried along the corridor towards Vince's office, her chest hurting where she was stopping herself from crying. God, all she did lately was howl, she thought. But she was also angry. Angry at the way Mark had acted just now. He had spoken to her as if he hated her and it had hurt. He didn't even have any reason to be like that. 

She knocked on the door when she got there and rushed inside, closing it and standing with her back against the wood as Vince looked up and frowned at her paleness. "Peaches? What's the matter, honey?" 

That was the last straw. Vince's sympathetic voice made her burst into tears and he instantly moved from behind his desk and put his arms around her, rubbing her back and murmuring soothing words. When she quieted down he moved her to a chair and sat her down, going down on his haunches in front of her and looking at her with concern. "Want to tell me what's wrong?" 

Amy sniffed and shook her head. "Not really." 

"Well come on now honey, you just made my nice suit all wet with your tears, the least you could do is tell me why," he said, raising one eyebrow and pursing his lips. 

"Mark swore at me," she whispered, her voice wobbling dangerously. 

"He did what?" Vince asked, his voice becoming harder. 

"He swore at me and now he hates me," she said, her lip wobbling to match her voice. 

"Why?" 

"He thinks that me and Kevin...that we're...we're..." she broke off on a sob and covered her face with her hands. 

Vince frowned. "Why would he think that?" 

"I don't know," she said, her voice muffled. "I want to go home." 

"Okay, honey," Vince said, standing up and patting her shoulder. "I'll drive you back. Can you wait for half an hour, I'll be finished up here then?" When she nodded Vince motioned her over to the corner of the room where a television was set up. "Go watch some TV while I get this last bit of paperwork sorted out." He watched her sit despondently in front of the screen, sniffing now and then and he let his true feelings show on his face. What he really wanted to sort out right now was Mark. 

Just as he thought that a knock came at the door and he called out for whoever it was to come in, his eyes narrowing when Mark walked in the room. Vince marched out from behind his desk again and pointed at the door. "Out!" he snapped, glaring at the bigger man, his gaze shooting to Amy and seeing her tense when she saw who it was. 

Mark spared Vince one glance before moving over to where Amy was sitting. She didn't raise her eyes to look at him and he frowned at her bent head. "Go away," she whispered, still looking at the floor. 

"Amy..." he began, but Vince grabbed his arm and pulled him away from her with a strength that surprised him. 

"I said get out, and I meant it," the older man snarled at him and Mark debated for a second what to do. 

"Look, Vince.." 

"Now, or you'll find yourself out of a job!" Vince threatened, in those few seconds meaning every word he said. 

Mark gave a frustrated sigh and let Vince usher him out of the room, following him out and closing the door. "If I were you, I'd stay well away from her for a while, she doesn't want to see you. She doesn't even want to be here, she's asked if I'll take her home. What the hell did you do?" 

Mark ran a hand through his hair and sighed again. "Nothing minor, that's for sure. Glenn heard a rumour and told me...no, not to gossip," he said when he saw Vince's expression change. "He just wanted to warn me about it before anyone else told me. Anyhow, it was about Amy and Kevin and when I found them in the restaurant holding hands....I guess I went off at the deep end." 

"And you swore at her and made her think you hated her?" Vince asked, folding his arms over his chest and looking coldly at the bigger man. 

"She thinks I hate her?" Mark asked, not having thought of that as a consequence of his words. He kept forgetting how sensitive she was. "Oh God, what a mess!" 

Vince found himself doing what he always found himself doing with Mark lately. He relented. "I said I'd drive her back in half an hour. Why don't you be waiting in the car for her instead of me?" 

"Thanks Vince. Are you sure?" Mark asked him, grateful that he'd be able to get to Amy so soon and let her know how sorry he was. 

"At the moment I am. But I swear if you hurt her again I'll make sure you never get within ten feet of her, got it?" 

Mark nodded and Vince handed him his car keys, saying he'd get a lift back with Shane, then he went back in the room, leaving Mark to make his way to the car park. 

Vince worked for a while in silence, looking up now and then and finding Amy still looking miserable. Finally he put some papers to one side and stood up, stretching. "I have to take these over to Linda's office, Peaches, so you go ahead and go down to the car. I'll be there in ten minutes okay?" 

Amy stood up and nodded, then made her way out of the office and into the nearby elevator. She stared despondently at her reflection as the elevator made its way down to the underground car park, sighing when it stopped and the bell chimed, letting her know she was at her destination. She was expecting to sit and wait for Vince to arrive, so she was surprised when his car pulled up next to her only a couple of seconds later, but she shrugged it off and climbed in, not bothering to look at the person driving, expecting it to her Godfather. 

Mark watched her as she leaned her head back against the headrest and sighed, her eyes staring blankly out of the window, and he decided he'd better drive. That way she couldn't just get out and not bother listening to him. 

He drove along for a couple of minutes in silence before speaking. "I'm sorry, baby," he said and he saw her jump, her head swinging round to look at him. 

"What are you....where's Vince?" she asked, her voice husky where she'd been crying. 

"In his office working, I expect," he replied, giving her a quick glance before turning his attention back to the road. 

"Take me back there," she said, her voice wobbling again and she cursed herself, angry that she didn't have more backbone than that. 

"I'm taking you home, and then we're going to talk," he said, wondering if she'd argue and surprised when she did. 

"I don't want to talk to you," she mumbled. 

"Maybe not, but you're going to listen, just the same," Mark said, navigating his way back to Vince's house as quick as he could. 

"I don't want to listen to you either," Amy said, sounding slightly childish. 

"That's a shame, but it still doesn't change the fact that you're going to," he said grimly, finally turning into the driveway and making his way towards the large house. 

"You can't make me," Amy said under her breath, finally feeling her anger start to emerge and welcoming it. 

"What was that?" Mark asked, stopping the car outside the house and turning to stare at her in amazement. 

She shot him a glare and didn't answer, unsnapping her seat belt and clambering out of the car before he could move. But he was quicker than she had hoped and he jumped out of the car and was right behind her when she opened the front door and let herself inside. He pushed her forward gently and walked in after her, closing the door behind him and folding his arms over his chest. "Going somewhere?" 

"Yes, away from you!" she snapped, making his eyebrows shoot up when she stomped off towards the stairs. 

"You are going to listen to what I have to say," he said, grabbing her resisting form and throwing her over his shoulder so he could carry her easily up the stairs to her rooms. Amy gasped as he scooped her easily up and she started struggling, kicking at his ribs as he almost ran up the staircase. 

"Put me down, you big Neanderthal!" she shouted at him, struggling harder. "Maggie!" she yelled, calling for the housekeeper at the top of her lungs. She did it again and eventually heard the woman's voice coming from downstairs. "Maggie, call the police!" she shouted as she saw her plump figure over the edge of the banisters. 

"Don't bother Maggie," Mark said, turning to grin down at the woman. "We're just sorting out a bit of a problem." 

Amy watched in disbelief as Maggie grinned and walked away, her last hope of escape fading as she went. She gave a furious noise that sounded like a growl and kicked him heftily in the ribs again, pleased to hear a 'whoomph' of air leave him, but he didn't slow down and she soon found herself staring down at her bed. She only had the view for a split second before he threw her off his shoulder and onto the mattress, shocking a small squeal out of her as she bounced on the soft surface. 

Mark didn't give her a chance to try and escape as he came down on the bed on top of her and grabbed her wrists, stopping her from hitting him. But he didn't get to her legs in time and she kicked out at him, landing a nice blow on his shin that made him wince. "Will you stop!" he demanded, trying to still her small, agile body. Her only reply was another kick that made him see red and he hauled her up and sat on the edge of the bed, throwing her over his knee. 

Amy was shocked into immobility when one of his huge hands came down hard on her backside in a series of quick swats. They didn't really hurt too bad, but they had the desired effect of making her stop fighting him and she hung limply over his knee as he stopped hitting her and rested his palm over her warmed bottom. "You about done now?" he asked her, pulling her slowly up and sitting her on his lap this time. 

She nodded slowly, and peeked up at him from under her dishevelled hair, her eyes wide and wary. 

"Good. Now, are you ready to listen?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and sighing when she gave another nod. "Amy...I don't know where to start, I really fouled things up good, didn't I? Not only accusing you of being unfaithful to me, but also a man who's a good friend of mine." He shook his head in disgust and Amy chewed her lip. 

"Why did you think that?" she asked quietly. 

Mark looked down at her and smiled mockingly. "I listened to rumours. Apparently someone's been saying they saw you and Kevin getting cosy." 

"And you believed them?" 

"No, not at first. But I couldn't help coming to find you, and then I saw you and Kevin sitting down and apparently holding hands. I lost my temper," he said, still sounding pissed off at himself. 

"How could you think I'd do that to you?" she asked him and he looked at her again to see her bottom lip start trembling again. 

He smoothed his thumb over her lip and stroked a finger down her face, a gesture that she was coming to love. "I'm insecure as hell, honey, didn't you know? It wouldn't surprise me if you did go off with someone else. And Kevin's everything I'm not." 

Amy frowned. "What do you mean?" 

"He's a good looking son of a bitch and he has this way with women...well, let's just say in a competition he'd come out the winner every time."  
"No he wouldn't! He is good looking, but...he's not you," she said, faltering slightly as she looked at his face. "You're gorgeous, you have beautiful eyes and sexy lips that make me want to kiss you all the time. You're nose is perfect too, not too big or too small, and I love your beard...I wouldn't swap you for a hundred of Kevin Nash." She ducked her head after this little speech, her cheeks flaming at the way he was staring at her in amazement. 

"You...think I have beautiful eyes?" he asked her, still amazed at this little outburst. 

"Yes, they're lovely," she whispered, glancing at him quickly and then looking down again. 

"Really? And my lips make you want to kiss me all the time?" he said with a smile. 

"Sometimes," she admitted grudgingly, regretting what she had said already. 

"But not when I swear at you, huh? Baby, I'm so sorry about that. I wish I could take it back," he said, lifting her chin with one finger. 

"It's okay," she said, staring at his hypnotic green eyes. 

"No it isn't, I hurt you," he persisted, cupping his large hand around her cheek. "You told me to go away." 

"I thought you hated me," she whispered. 

"I was jealous," he admitted, giving a self deprecating smile. 

"There's no need, I wouldn't do that to you, not ever," she said softly, her small hand fluttering up to his face and smoothing out the frown line that appeared on his forehead. She gave a frown of her own and he raised his eyebrows in question. 

"What's that look for?" he asked her. 

"You spanked me," she accused, her mouth dropping open as she thought of what he had done. 

"Yeah I did, but I ain't apologising for that. You deserved it. Just be thankful that I tapped your butt lightly, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting down for a week!" 

"You're really arrogant you know that?" she asked, still frowning. 

"Yeah, and you love that I am, otherwise you wouldn't be with me," he said smugly. 

"Maybe I don't want to be with someone who'll spank me at any given opportunity," she grumbled as he lifted her gently off his lap and lay her down on the bed, coming down on it next to her, his gaze fixed to her mouth. 

"Yeah, you do," he said softly, his eyes drifting closed as he covered her mouth with his and started kissing her, feeling her instant response and the way she lifted her arms to cradle his head. He broke the kiss and drew his head back. "What do you say we spend the rest of the day here making up?" 

"I think I'd like that," she whispered and then smiled as he immediately started removing her top. "Maggie's in the house." 

"Maggie won't disturb us," he insisted, grinning wickedly. 

"What if Vince comes back?" she whispered, groaning when his head dipped down and started kissing the slope of her breasts. 

"Stop making excuses and enjoy my apology," he murmured, his hands moving up her body to cup her soft breasts in his palms. 

"Is that what this is?" she managed to gasp out as he nibbled slowly on her nipple through the lace of the bra. 

"Mmm-hmm. Can you feel how sorry I am?" he said, pulling the offending bra out of the way so he could get to her bare skin. 

She managed to think that he felt very sorry indeed, just before she gave herself up to pure sensation and let him do whatever he wanted with her willing body. 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter twenty-three 

The next day everything seemed to be back to normal between Amy and Mark and Vince smiled at them as they all sat down to breakfast. "What do you two have planned today?" he asked, munching on a slice of toast. 

"Well, as I recall, I have a promo to tape and then I want to go over a few moves me and Glenn will be making tomorrow night," Mark said, sipping his coffee and taking Amy's small hand in his. "What are you doing today, sweetheart?" 

"I was going to start back working today," she said, her eyes shooting to Vince's and seeing him frown. 

"I think it's a bit soon for that," he said, looking concerned. 

"I feel fine and I'm there everyday anyway," she said. 

"Yeah, but watching this big lug is different from working," Vince pointed out, shooting Mark a grin and then returning his attention to Amy. 

"Not really. Besides, I can't be with Mark all day and I get bored," she explained, shrugging. "I like the work and Tammy could probably do with a hand again now." 

Vince nodded. He had originally made the job up for her so she'd have a reason to stick around, but it turned out that she was really needed and she did a good job. "Okay, you can start back today. But if you get even a tiny bit tired then you stop and return home, okay?" 

"Okay," Amy agreed, beaming at him and receiving a brilliant smile in return. 

"Well," Vince said, wiping his mouth on a napkin and standing up. "I better get going, I have a couple of potential wrestlers coming in today and I need to look my fiercest when I interview them!" 

Amy laughed at this. "As if they'd be scared of you!" 

"Oh I can be scary honey," he said, dropping a kiss on her head as he went to leave. "Just ask Mark." 

Amy looked at Mark in confusion after Vince had left. "What did he mean?" 

"He just thinks he's scared me in the past," Mark explained, smiling. "But he was dead wrong. Come on, we have to go too, or I'll be late and Vince will really try to scare me!" 

They both went their separate ways when they got to the Arena and Mark gave her a long kiss as he left her, whacking her backside as an afterthought and receiving a glare from her in return. He made his way to his dressing room and found Glenn already there, pulling his costume about and trying to get comfortable. 

Mark eyed his movements. "What's the matter with you?" 

"This costume is a bit tight," he grumbled. 

"Well, that would be a problem to take to our wardrobe mistress, wouldn't it?" Mark asked him, throwing his bag down and dressing in a sleeveless shirt and black leather pants. 

"Yeah, it would, and she'll have a bit of explaining to do about how tight this brand new outfit is!!" Glenn said, smiling as he thought of what he would do to Tammy when he saw her. He looked over at Mark. "How is everything between you and Amy?" 

Mark tied a bandanna around his head and adjusted it over his eyes. "Everything's fine, now. It nearly wasn't though." 

"Yeah, Kevin sort of told me you had words," Glenn said, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry if I put my foot in it." 

"It wasn't you, man, you only told me what you heard. I'm glad you did, now I can stop this thing before it really gets started. By the way," he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Who told you?" 

Glenn grimaced. "Dawn Marie." 

"She ain't nothing but a gossip anyway," Mark said, sneering. "But I wonder who told her?" 

Glenn shrugged. "I didn't ask her, I was just pissed off at the time. We'll find her later and get her to tell us." 

Mark nodded and the two men left the room, heading to where they were going to be filmed for the next days match. 

A couple of hours later Amy and Tammy looked up as their workroom door burst open and Glenn stood there, frowning and planting his hands on his hips. 

"I want a word with you!" he said loudly, pointing at Tammy and sauntering into the room, instantly making it seem tiny. 

"What's wrong?" Tammy asked, so surprised by the fierce frown on his face that she didn't have the presence of mind to even stand up as he approached her. 

"You want to know what's wrong, hmm?" he said, raising his eyebrows and then lowering them again and narrowing his eyes. "_This_ is what's wrong!" he turned around and presented her with his backside, which was currently hanging out of a big rip in his costume. 

Amy hid her face in her hands as mirth took her over, her shoulders shaking as she laughed helplessly at his outraged expression. Tammy looked at her and then tried to straighten her mouth out so she didn't look like she wanted to burst into hysterics. Her eyes returned to Glenn's butt, and she bit her lip. "It's...er...well, it's very nice," she said, looking up at him innocently when he swung his head around and glared at her. 

"Nice ?Well I'm glad you think so, because by now so does everyone else in the building too!" He looked back at her over his shoulder and sounded so embarrassed that he had been seen with his backside half naked that Tammy couldn't contain herself any longer and she started giggling helplessly. "Oh you think this is funny?" 

Tammy nodded, holding her stomach as she gazed once again at his backside and laughed even harder. "I'm sorry, but honest to God....it looks so funny!" 

"So now it's funny? I thought it was nice?" Glenn said, injecting a bit of disappointment into his voice. 

"Oh it is nice, very nice, very..." Tammy sniffed and wiped her eyes, staring at his butt again, "..very sexy," she finished, biting her lip as he gave her a heated look. "So was that what you wanted to show me?" 

"Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to show you, so you could fix them!" 

Tammy saw the light of laughter in his warm eyes, even though he was trying to make out he was angry. "Well, you know, I didn't make them in the first place, Amy did." 

Glenn's face changed in an instant, his mouth falling open. "Oh," he said inadequately. Now how was he going to make Tammy pay for embarrassing him? he wondered. He had made plans for payback and now they may come to nothing. He stayed silent for a while and Tammy could almost see the cogs working in his brain as he thought of a way round his predicament. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers. "Hang on, aren't you technically Amy's boss?" 

Tammy smiled slowly at the devilish glint in his eyes now. "Well, yes, I suppose I am. Why?" 

"Because if Amy doesn't do something properly, then it would be your job to check it over, wouldn't it? That being the case, then it's your fault that my costume is too tight," he said smugly, reaching down and pulling her out of her chair. "Not only that," he added, looking positively gleeful as he thought of something else, "but you were the one who measured me, so maybe you didn't take my measurements properly?" 

Tammy frowned as she thought about that. "Maybe I didn't," she said thoughtfully, looking him up and down. 

"Maybe you should measure me again?" he asked and he bent down to whisper in her ear. "In private." He straightened up again and watched as her face coloured under his appraisal, a grin finally curving his lips. 

"I've got lots of work to do," she said softly, wanting nothing more in the world than to tell Amy to go home so she could lock the door and rip all his clothes off. Her face went even hotter at her wayward thoughts. 

"I haven't," Glenn said, sounding really disappointed this time. 

Amy finished stitching the outfit she was holding and looked across the room at the two people she was happy to call her friends. She smiled and then gave a theatrical yawn, making Tammy look in her direction. "Sorry, Tammy, but I may have to give up for the day, I'm really tired. I guess I wasn't as back to normal as I thought," she said, shrugging and trying to sound convincing. If Glenn and Tammy wanted time to themselves then who she to argue? Vince wouldn't mind her going home early, but she didn't intend to leave right away. She would go and see Mark first. 

"Are you feeling okay?" Tammy asked, genuinely concerned, smiling with relief when Amy nodded. "Good .Look, you just get home and rest, don't worry about things here. And don't come back tomorrow if you still feel a bit off, I can manage on my own." 

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll go and tell Vince. I'll see you tomorrow though, okay?" she said, smiling as she stood up and grabbed her stuff, her smile getting wider as she saw them turn towards each other as she left the room. 

"That was fortunate," Glenn murmured, grabbing Tammy and hauling her up against him. 

"Hmm, wasn't it though?" Tammy said, staring at his mouth as he bent towards her and kissed her, urging her mouth open and deepening the kiss in an amazingly arousing way. She groaned underneath the onslaught and he pulled back slightly, nipping at her bottom lip. 

"Mmm, yummy," he said, grinning at her. "Right, hold that pose for me and I'll be right back," he said, arranging her so she was standing there with her arms open for when he returned. 

"Idiot," she said, giggling at him. 

"Careful or I may not kiss you again," He said, raising one eyebrow haughtily. 

"Ok, I'm sorry," she said instantly, making him smile again. "Where are you going anyway?" 

"To get something to change into, so I can take this thing off in front of you," he said, watching her reaction. 

"In front of me?" she asked, her voice slightly croaky as nude images of him flashed in her head. 

"Yeah, all slow like," he said, and blew her a kiss before disappearing out of the door, leaving Tammy fanning her flushed face as she thought of what was to come. 

He walked along to his room, grinning like a fool and ignoring the whistles he got as people saw his backside. Mark had just finished changing into his sweats, ready to get a workout in the gym, and he glanced up as Glenn walked in the room. "What's that dumb grin for?" he asked the younger man, looking confused. 

"Tammy," Glenn sighed, sounding like a love struck teenager. 

"Pathetic," Mark muttered, shaking his head. 

"You can talk, you big moron," Glenn shot at him, still smiling and Mark chuckled. 

"Yeah, you have a point. You haven't seen Amy have you? I thought I might go and see how she's doing." 

"Yeah, she was with Tammy, but she said she felt tired and was going to head home," Glenn said, quickly grabbing a change of clothes. 

"So she's already left?" Mark asked, frowning. 

"She said she was going to see Vince first, so you'll probably catch her there. I gotta go, I have to be somewhere," Glenn said, his grin getting bigger as he hurried out of the room. Mark shook his head again as he watched him leave, going out of the door shortly afterwards to find Amy. 

He walked along for a few minutes and then gave a sniff as a familiar scent drifted towards him. No, he thought, that couldn't be...it was just the same scent. He turned around and narrowed his eyes as he looked up and down the corridor, his brows drawn down in a frown. For just a second he thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but there wasn't anybody there so he shrugged off the feeling and continued on his way. It was ridiculous to think that Sara might be around somewhere, he thought. It was probably just one of the divas using the same perfume, that was all. Just the same, he couldn't quite get rid of the strange feeling that he was being watched. 

Amy was laughing at the story Vince was telling her about one of the interviews he had done that morning with an apparently hopeless potential wrestler, when Mark walked in after a brief knock. She looked up and her eyes lit up, her smile brightening at the sight of him. 

Vince watched the way her whole face changed as she looked at the big man across the room and he couldn't help smiling, especially when he noticed a similar look on Mark's face. 

"Glenn said you were feeling tired. Are you okay?" Mark asked without preamble, looking faintly worried. 

"I'm fine, I'm not really tired, but I could see they wanted some time alone, so here I am," she said, giving a grin that made dimples appear in her cheeks when he held his hand out to her. She let him draw her towards him and stared up into his beautiful eyes, taking a deep breath as a wealth of feeling tightened her chest. 

Mark lifted a hand and touched the dimples that he had barely noticed before, and he grinned. "I didn't know you had these little dimples, they make you look even cuter than normal," he said, his voice deep and soft as he stroked his finger down her face in the way she loved. 

"Yeah, yeah, get a room," Vince said with a snort of disgust, glaring at them. "I have work to do, and I can't do it with you two making out over there! Go and have lunch or something why don't you?" 

"Okay, if you insist," Mark said, smiling at Vince and bundling Amy out of the room and then pinning her up against the wall as soon as the door was closed. "Do you really want to go and get lunch? We could take his other suggestion instead and get a room," Mark said, giving her a pleading look that made her laugh. 

"Can I come and watch?" a voice said over his shoulder and Mark groaned. 

"God, if it isn't Glenn it's someone else. I think I'm cursed," he muttered. 

"Yeah, with a bad temper and an ugly face," Kevin said as Mark turned to look at him over his shoulder. "How ya doing buddy?" 

"I was doing great until you showed up thanks very much!" Mark said, pulling away from Amy so that she came into view for the first time. 

"Well, hello, darlin'," Kevin drawled, watching Mark's reaction carefully. 

"Hi Kevin," Amy said politely, slipping her hand into Mark's and virtually plastering herself to his side. 

"You two okay?" he asked, looking from one of them to the other. 

Amy nodded and smiled, feeling Mark's big hand squeeze hers as he shot her a heated look. "We're doing fine. Listen, I'm really sorry about yesterday," Mark said, not in the least bit reticent about apologising. 

Kevin grinned at him. "Don't worry about it, it happens to us all at some time or another. I totally understand. So how do you fancy having lunch with me?" He gave Mark a shit-eating grin. "Both of you, I guess." 

"We were just on our way to the restaurant, since you mention it," Mark said, trying not to look annoyed at being interrupted. 

"You were?" Kevin asked, twisting his lips and rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "Hell of a way to get there, pressing some poor defenceless female into the wall." 

"Ya didn't hear her complaining did ya?" Mark drawled, smirking. 

Kevin looked down at Amy, standing so happily pressed against Mark as she was. "You do have a point there. So how about lunch? It's either eat with you or take pot luck and sit with whoever happens to be alone. That could turn out to be just about anybody, up to and including William Regal. Save me." 

"Who's William Regal?" Amy asked, speaking for the first time. 

"He's from your neck of the woods, actually," Mark said, smiling warmly down at her. "He can be a right royal pain in the ass!" 

Amy saw his eyes glint as he said this and she slapped his arm obligingly, knowing he was waiting for her to tell him off about his language. He sighed and shook his head, shrugging as he looked at Kevin. "You see what I have to put up with?" 

"Mmm-hmm .She looks like a holy terror. How do you cope?" the blonde man asked, walking slowly along beside them as Mark pulled her along, obviously having accepted the lunch invitation without saying a word. 

"Beats me. Actually, _she _beats me. Regularly. I have bruises and everything," Mark said, trying to look like a wimp, something he couldn't possibly do. 

"Hah !You'd soon know it if I did beat you," Amy said, doing her best to look down her nose at him, not an easy task when he was nearly two foot above her head. 

"That so? Hmm, maybe I'll let you prove that later on," Mark murmured, swatting her backside and making her yelp. 

"Oh I'll prove it," she said, glaring at him as they all walked along. 

Sara gritted her teeth as she watched them, hating the warm way Mark spoke to the little bitch. Obviously the rumour mill wasn't working quite as well as it used to around here. That was something she determined she would sort out, and soon. 

_****Author note (God I'm an author!!! Who knew?):- Sorry if this and probably the next chapter are a bit slow and perhaps boring. I found them really difficult to write and I was forcing out every word. I have good ideas for it but I find it difficult to link them together sometimes. Is that writers block? Who knows. Oh, actually some of you probably do know! Anyhow, hopefully I'll get back round to the main plot of this bit soon, but it's hard, so bear with me!****_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty-four 

Mark woke up the next morning and stretched, looking around the guest room he was now using at Vince's. He had much preferred to sleep with Amy, but Vince had started grumbling about that and he had to admit it was getting to be almost impossible to stop himself from making love to her. He wondered why he was even waiting, but the answer came to him in a flash. He respected her. A smile tilted his lips up as he thought about her. He also wanted to drive her absolutely wild for him, make her as frustrated as he possibly could. That way she'd be ripe for the picking, more than ready for her first time. Plus he had firmly decided he wanted her in his own home with him, not here where she was always being watched over. Now all he had to do was persuade Vince to his way of thinking, and he had a feeling it would be difficult. In the meantime he was enjoying dating somebody and making out, it made him feel younger. 

His eyes shot to the door when it opened and Amy popped her head around it, looking to see if he was awake. "Don't you know how to knock?" he asked her, smiling. 

"I was hoping you'd be naked," she joked, grinning. 

"Feeling confident are we?" he drawled, motioning her over to him and grinning wickedly when she got within arms reach and he grabbed her. His other hand threw back the covers and then watched as she went red. 

"No," she wavered, her eyes darting from one part of his body to another. 

Mark grinned wickedly and pulled the covers back over his body when he heard faint voices outside his room. "Looks like you're gonna have a lucky escape, darlin'," he drawled, his grin getting worse when Vince called Amy's name and then tapped on Mark's door. "See?" 

Amy gave him a disgruntled look and went to open the door, smiling innocently up at Vince as he looked in the room to see what was going on. "What are you doing in here?" he asked her, frowning at Mark over her shoulder. 

"I just came in to wake Mark up," she explained, giving a happy sigh and taking her godfather's arm. For some reason he was in protective mode again and she didn't mind one bit. 

He looked down at her and patted her arm, a warm smile making him look younger. "Well, that's good. Let's go get some breakfast," he said and looked up at Mark. "You going to join us?" 

"Yeah, I'll just grab a shower and I'll be with you," Mark said, winking at Amy as Vince pulled her out of the room. 

Mark stretched again as they left and found himself smiling yet again. He did that a lot, he thought, since he had met Amy and it was a good feeling. He just hoped there weren't any storm clouds on the horizon to spoil it all because he had had an odd feeling for the last couple of days that he couldn't shake. 

Later that day Amy was surprised when Kevin showed up in the workroom. "Hey little lady," he said, giving her a friendly grin. 

"Hi, Kevin. What's that?" she asked, indicating the garment he was clutching. 

"It's a pair of my jeans, they have a rip and I was wondering if you'd be good enough to fix it for me. I was going to wear them in the ring tonight," he explained, sitting down in a vacant chair near her. 

"Sure, hand them over," Amy said, examining the rip once he had done so. "This won't take long, do you want to wait?" 

"Yeah, why not? I tell you what, I'll go get some coffee for us, how's that?" he said, standing up again and raising his eyebrows. 

"That would be really nice, thanks. I could use a cup," she admitted, smiling. She liked Kevin, in a purely brotherly way. She started sewing the tough fabric as he left the room, her mind already narrowed down on to what she was doing. The faint ringing of a telephone didn't get through to her for a few seconds, but then she frowned and wondered where it was coming from. She knew there was a pay phone on the wall in the corridor and she put down the mending to go and see if it was that. No-one else was in the corridor when she walked outside and she looked at the phone with a frown. Who would call a pay phone? Unless it was someone who had dialled a wrong number. She shrugged and picked the phone up, saying hello. 

"Hello, pretty. Surprised?" A voice growled in her ear and she jumped, a gasp breaking from her lips. 

"How...?" she said breathlessly, her eyes widening. 

"How did I get this number? How did I know where you were?" Tony asked, laughing sarcastically. "I'm very resourceful when I want to be. What you really want to ask yourself is how I knew you weren't at home." 

Amy swore she felt her heart stop when he said that, then it kicked up again beating twice as fast. She looked around her to see if he was watching her from somewhere, but she couldn't see anyone. 

"That's it, you little bitch, see if you can find me," he said, making all the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "I'm watching you, and I'm waiting. And as soon as I think the time's right, I'll be coming for you." 

The line went dead and Amy shakily replaced the receiver, her breath puffing in and out frantically as panic overwhelmed her. She felt a hot tear slide down her cheek as she pressed her back against the wall and looked up and down the corridor. Oh, God, he was here. It would almost have been better if she could see him, then the fear could be centred on something. To know he was watching her and she didn't know where from was awful. 

Kevin rounded the corner with two coffees and looked puzzled when he saw her standing there like a statue. But when he got nearer his puzzlement turned to concern as he saw her white face and the way she was shaking. He put the coffees down and stood in front of her. "Amy ?What's wrong? Has something happened?" 

She was staring at him blankly, and his words jerked her out of her trance. "He...he...phoned me...here, he..." she broke off and tried to breathe normally, panicking again when she couldn't take a deep breath in. 

Kevin grabbed her and dragged her the short distance to her workroom, realising she was hyperventilating. He rummaged through the cupboards until he found a paper bag and then he held it over her mouth. "Breathe into this, come on," he demanded, his words gentle despite the authority in his voice. He watched with concern as she breathed jerkily in and out, the sounds lessening and then becoming more even as the paper bag did the trick. "Better?" he asked her, removing the bag and running a hand over her hair. 

She nodded. "Thank you. Kevin, he's here," she whispered, her eyes huge as she looked at him. 

"He ?That guy who rang you the other day? Does Vince know?" 

"You're the first person I've seen," she explained and Kevin put his arm around her and cuddled her. 

"You poor kid, you don't deserve this psycho on your back all the time. Come on, let's go tell Vince and he can get security on to it." 

Amy let Kevin walk her to Vince's office, his arm still around her shoulders as he offered her the only comfort he could think of. 

To Mark's eyes it didn't look like comfort at all. He saw them walking away as he came around the corner, and he had no idea Amy was upset about anything. His brows drew down as he watched his friend pulling his girlfriend against him, the touch anything but innocent in his eyes, and he felt his temper start to spark, his self doubts rearing up again. He had believed Kevin when he had told him nothing was going on, but now he wondered if that had been the truth. But what of Amy? She had been genuinely upset, hadn't she? He shook his head and tried to banish the thoughts, but they wouldn't quit. It had happened before with Sara, what was to stop it happening again with Amy? He would have to talk to Kevin, and try and remain calm this time, give him a chance to explain. He didn't want to make an enormous mistake. 

Sara watched everything that happened from the shadows and stared with curiosity at the large man who had been growling threats into his cellphone whilst he watched Amy. She moved to stand behind him as Kevin and Amy disappeared into the workroom, then reappeared and walked away, seeing Mark standing there looking furious as he saw them go. A smile curved her lips and she gave a soft laugh as Mark, too, walked away. The noise startled the big man and he swung around to see who was behind him, his eyes running over the slender figure of the tall woman he found there. 

"Who are you?" he asked her, scowling. 

"I could ask you the same question," she said, a smirk making her look less attractive than he had first thought. "You're not supposed to be here are you?" 

"What makes you say that?" he asked, striving to retain a cool demeanour. 

"Oh, nothing much, just the threats you were issuing to that girl," she said, her smirk intensifying. 

Tony Castrogiovanni ran his eyes up and down the woman's figure again, and wondered if he shouldn't just break her neck and be done with it. Her next words made him change his mind. 

"Don't get me wrong, I don't mind those threats at all. In fact, I think we may be able to help each other out." 

"How's that?" 

"Well, I'm no fan of little miss perfect there, but you obviously are. It's her boyfriend I want, and I think that if we help each other, we may both get what we want. What do you say?" she asked, raising one eyebrow confidently. 

"I think you've got yourself a deal. So, tell me, what's the plan?" he asked, smiling at her for the first time and Sara smiled back, taking his arm and walking along the back corridors with him, taking a route that very few people used so they wouldn't be seen.  


"_Here?_" Vince bellowed, jumping out of his seat and hitting the desk with such force that both Amy and Kevin jumped. "How the hell did he get in?" He picked the phone up and called security, shouting into the phone and then shouting even louder when he didn't get the answer he wanted. 

Amy sat down and let her shoulders slump, hating the fact that she was bringing any trouble to Vince when he had been so good to her. She felt Kevin take her hand and allowed him to hold it, knowing he only meant to comfort her and right now she needed that comfort. She just wished it was Mark sitting here with her instead. 

Vince eventually slammed the phone down and looked at Amy, giving a frustrated sigh. "They haven't let anyone in matching his description," he said, surprising Amy into looking up again. 

"But he said he was watching me...he knew what I was doing when I picked the phone up, he..." 

"Maybe he was guessing, maybe he got lucky, who knows? But if he is here, they haven't seen him," Vince said, breaking into her speech. 

Amy's face fell as she looked at him. "You don't believe me do you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"Oh honey, of course I believe you!" Vince said, moving to crouch down in front of her. "I've got security searching the building now to see if he's still here, if he really was here. I believe what you told me, and there is every possibility he was watching you at that moment. But he didn't come in here through any of the doors, so it's equally unlikely he got in at all. Do you understand?" 

Amy nodded. "But it really sounded like he was watching me, with what he said." 

"I know, babygirl. Lets just hope he was simply trying to scare you," Vince said grimly, standing up and bending to kiss the top of her head. 

"He succeeded," she mumbled, taking a deep shaky breath and feeling Kevin squeeze her fingers right at the moment that Mark walked into the room. She had to fight to keep herself from pulling her hand away from the other man as Mark glared at them with narrowed eyes. He didn't say a word, however, and with a slight nod he left the room, slamming the door behind him. 

"What's eating him?" Vince asked, frowning as he checked his door over to see if it was damaged. 

Kevin gaped at the closed door and then shook his head. "Not again," he muttered, his lips thinning in anger. He looked at Amy's bent head and felt sorry for her. After having that asshole call her again, the last thing she needed was Mark pissed off at her. "I'll go and find him," he said, disengaging his hand from hers and leaving the room. 

Vince looked down at Amy and shook his head, sighing as he pulled her up into a hug. "If it isn't one thing it's another, isn't it?" 

Amy nodded and closed her eyes, wanting to go home and just sit in her own room, alone. "Why does he have to be like that?" she mumbled, frowning. 

"Ah, Peaches, he's just jealous, that's all. At least you know that he cares about you, because otherwise he wouldn't feel anything when he saw you holding Kevin's hand." 

"But now he's going to be all horrible like he was the other day," she said, drawing back to look up at Vince with worried eyes. "I think I'd rather just not face him." 

"I can see how you'd feel that way, honey, what with the phone call you just had as well. I'll get a car to drive you home if you like, if I can make sure you won't be alone?" 

Amy thought about missing Mark's match and frowned, not liking the idea of not being there for him. But she wanted to go home. "I think it might be best," she said slowly, her mouth drooping as she said it. 

"Okay, I'll make a call in a second. Er...first, though, I haven't had you sign a contract yet have I?" Vince asked, going back around his desk and shuffling some papers. 

Amy looked puzzled. "No, I didn't know I had to." 

"Everyone who works here has to, it just slipped my mind," he said, with a strange smile. "Ah here it is!" 

He pushed a big pile of papers towards her and pointed to where she should sign. "Shouldn't I read them first or something?" 

"There's no need, it's just standard stuff and you know you can trust me, Peaches. Just sign there and then there," he said, turning pages for her. She didn't notice that he was only lifting the edge of the paper so she could sign each successive one underneath, and when she got to the bottom of the pile he took them away from her and nodded with a big smile, putting the whole bundle in his desk drawer and locking it. "Great, all done." Vince motioned for her to sit down and then called Linda, Stephanie and Shane, frowning deeper after each successive call. "I'm sorry honey, there isn't anybody to go back with you, and I don't want you there on your own." 

Amy shook her head. "It's okay, I shouldn't really be running away anyway. I'll go and do some more work, it'll help keep my mind off things." 

Vince nodded and watched her go, admiring the way she straightened her shoulders and got on with it, even though it was obvious she was upset by the days' events. He wondered how long it would be before she stopped letting things get to her so much, knowing that it would eventually happen now she was living with them. He just wished she was already strong enough to cope with the crap she was currently going through, for her own sake. 


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty-five 

Mark was slamming things around in his dressing room when he heard a faint knock at the door. He wasn't in any mood to see anyone right now, not after seeing Amy and Kevin holding hands again. But the knock sounded again and he went over and flung the door open, glaring at whoever was beyond it. His glare instantly turned to surprise when he saw Sara standing there, smiling hesitantly up at him. "Hi Mark," she said softly, trying to make herself sound as feminine as possible. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" he barked at her, frowning fiercely as he looked her over. Her hair colour had changed, he noticed, and then he kicked himself for actually noticing anything at all about her. 

"I just thought I'd come and...well, I thought I'd see how you are. It's been a long time," she said. 

"It hasn't been long enough," Mark muttered, feeling like slamming the door in her face. But something about the way she was looking at him stopped him from doing it, and he couldn't quite work out why. 

Sara grimaced. "Look, this was probably a huge mistake...I'm sorry, forget I was here," she said and turned away, preparing to leave. 

"Wait, why did you come?" he asked her suspiciously. 

Sara gave a triumphant smile and then quickly wiped it off her face as she turned around. "I wanted to say sorry, if you want the truth. I know it's too little, too late, but I can't bear to think about the way I treated you." 

"Is that right?" he asked doubtfully, still frowning. 

"Yes, as a matter of fact it is. I guess it was too much to expect that you'd believe me, but I needed to say it just the same." She searched his face for some sign of softening towards her and was pleased to see his frown getting less tense as she spoke, not that she showed her emotions to him. 

"Well, now you've said it, you can go," Mark said, still feeling the shock of her sudden appearance. 

Sara managed to look genuinely contrite and she gave a shrug. "I guess I should. I wish I could change the past, Mark, I really do." 

"No-one can change the past, and no-one can make up for it either," he told her coldly, folding his arms across his chest and then glancing up as he saw Kevin walking towards his room. 

Sara saw his eyes flicker upwards and turned to watch the big blonde man walk over to them, his eyes relaying his incredulity at seeing her there. "Hello Kevin, long time no see," Sara said, not bothering to smile. Kevin had always hated her and she him, and that would never change, but she couldn't pass up this golden opportunity. "I saw you earlier and you have a new girlfriend don't you? A pretty little redhead?" she added for effect, seeing Mark flinch out of the corner of her eye. 

"She isn't my girlfriend," Kevin said tightly, giving Mark a worried look and then glaring down at Sara again. 

Sara looked surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must have got it wrong. It's just..." she paused for a second and then shrugged again. "It doesn't matter." 

"You're right it doesn't," Kevin said. "Now why don't you get the hell away from me so I can talk to Mark?" 

"Don't bother, I ain't got nothing to say to you," Mark said sharply, making them both stare at him. He was positively vibrating with pent-up rage, and Kevin scowled at him, curling his lip in disgust. 

"When did you turn into such a prick?" he asked him, unable to believe that Mark thought he was playing around with Amy. Again. 

Mark gave Kevin's glare back with equal intensity, a powerful mix of emotions making him totally unreasonable. "Go fuck yourself, Kevin. Better yet, go fuck Amy, why don't you?" 

Kevin gritted his teeth and lifted his chin. "You know something? That's not a bad idea!" he snapped and walked away, wondering vaguely if Mark would come after him and try and take his head off. But apart from a few choice words he heard him fling at his head, he made no move to follow him and Kevin eventually disappeared from view. 

"Mark?" Sara said, making him suddenly become aware that she was still there. "Is something wrong? I thought you and Kevin were good friends?" 

"So did I," Mark muttered, and sighed. He was confused and incredibly jealous and he couldn't reconcile his emotions, which made him get angry. He looked down at Sara and found himself wondering if she'd really changed. A thought occurred to him and his frown returned. "Why did you think Kevin was going out with a redhead?" 

She lifted her shoulders delicately. "I saw him with a girl and they seemed very close." 

"So why did you assume they were a couple?" he went on, needing to know if there was a good reason behind his suspicions. 

"When I see two people kissing I automatically assume they're having a relationship," she said, looking genuinely confused, at least to Marks eyes. 

"Kissing?" he said quietly, feeling his chest clench painfully. 

"Well, yes.....Mark whatever's the matter?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm when he paled slightly and suddenly punched the wall. 

"They were _kissing_?" he hissed out the question, his eyes narrowing on her stunned face. 

"Yes...but, I don't understand, what's wrong with that?" 

He didn't answer her. Amy and Kevin had been kissing, sneaking around behind his back. Why would they do that? He thought Kevin was his friend. His fury faded to be replaced with a coldness that made Sara smirk, quickly wiping the look away before he saw her. His head was so muddled that it didn't occur to him, even once, that Sara was lying or that she had been the one trying to spread gossip in the first place. 

"Mark, I know I'm probably the last person you want to be near, but will you come and have some coffee with me? You look like you could use it, to be honest," she said gently and he looked at her for a few seconds before giving a nod and closing his door. 

They ended up in the buildings large restaurant, and Sara had to work hard to try and make conversation because Mark was positively morose. She chattered on about meaningless things until he seemed to be coming out of his trance-like state and then she got around to their own past again. 

"I regret what happened Mark, I really do. I had rampaging hormones and they sometimes made me a bit...well, a bit of a bitch. I know," she said, holding up one perfectly manicured hand when he started to speak, "you have every right to hate me, after all I did have an affair. But that's all it was Mark." 

Mark sat and stared at her, his brain starting to work again. He had thought himself in love with this woman once, but he had been roughly disabused of that notion, and she had been the one to do it. "Just an affair? You got pregnant and tried to make out I was the father!" 

Sara plastered a sorrowful look on her face and lowered her eyes so he didn't see the calculating glint in them. "I was desperate Mark, I don't suppose you can understand that sort of feeling. I didn't want to lose you over something that was completely my fault, but I lost you anyway, and I'll regret that until the day I die." 

"Really?" Mark drawled, still looking at her suspiciously. "You didn't sound like you regretted it the day I kicked you out." 

"I was hurt," she said, forcing a few tears to her eyes and finally looking at him. "I wanted to hurt you back, so I said things....it doesn't matter anymore. I'll go." She stood up and went to leave and Mark grabbed her wrist, surprising himself. Something about the apparent dignity with which she was giving up made him think again that maybe she was a different person now. She gave him a sad smile and shook her head. "I wish things were different." 

"What happened with the baby?" he asked her reluctantly, watching as she sat down again. 

"I had the baby, of course. It was a boy and he's a real sweetie, sleeps all night and barely cries. I guess I'm lucky," she said. 

"And what about the father?" Mark asked, looking at her coldly again as he thought about her affair. 

"He left. I suppose it's poetic justice really that he should leave me on my own just when I needed him, like I did with you." 

"You didn't leave me, remember? I made you leave," Mark pointed out, frowning as his senses started really kicking in. What the hell was he doing sitting here with this woman? he thought. His eyes darted around the restaurant to see who else would see him with her, and he saw Glenn and Tammy walk in, his heart speeding up when Amy walked in behind them on her own. 

Glenn was the first to spot him and he looked like someone had thrown a brick at his head, his mouth hanging open and his eyes widening. Tammy was confused and followed Glenn's gaze to Mark and Sara, and then getting that same look. Mark wondered what Amy would make of it, and then gave a cold smile. Payback was a bitch, he thought, and he took Sara's hand in his just before Amy saw him. 

Amy had only come along to get some food at Tammy's insistence, and neither her nor Glenn knew about the phone call that morning or Mark's weird behaviour. She looked around with dull eyes and then froze, seeing Mark sitting at a table holding a woman's hand in his. She was vaguely aware of Glenn turning around and looking at her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her. Mark turned his head to look at her suddenly, and he looked right through her as if she didn't exist, turning back to the woman and smiling warmly at her in a way that made Amy shake. She whirled and ran out of the restaurant, not thinking about where she was going and not seeing anything through the tears in her eyes, so she ran smack bang into someone and almost went flying backwards if it hadn't been for their hands holding her up. She blinked away the tears and looked up to apologise, and froze again, this time in abject horror. 

"Hello pretty," Tony said, giving her a smile so evil she almost fainted on the spot. "Not going to give me a welcome kiss?" 

Amy tried pulling out of his hold, feeling his fingers bruising her upper arms, but she couldn't make him let go and she started struggling furiously, surprising herself with her violent movements. 

"Stand still, you bitch," Tony said through gritted teeth and gave her a shake, pleased when she seemed to shrink within his grasp, her face paper white. "Don't panic yet, sweetie, I ain't ready. I only came to get a good look at you, remind myself what it is I'm going to fuck." He let go of one of her arms and grabbed her chin, lifting her face up as he lowered his, his eyes looking up as he heard a shout and saw Glenn rushing towards him. "I'll come for you real soon," he whispered, dropping a kiss on her startled mouth before he abruptly released her and walked away. Amy sagged in relief when he left, her legs trembling so much she could barely stand up. Glenn arrived a second later and put an arm around her for support, both him and Tammy staring at her with concern. Before they could ask anything Kevin appeared, having been due to join them in the restaurant, and he frowned when he saw Amy's pale face. 

"What's wrong?" he asked quickly, putting one hand on her shoulder. 

Amy couldn't speak through the terror clogging her throat and she just shook her head. Glenn spoke up. "Some guy had hold of her. We came out of the restaurant and saw her struggling then the guy kissed her and left. He's only just gone," Glenn murmured, pushing her towards the big blonde man so he could support her instead. "I'm going after him." 

Kevin looked down at her. "Was it him?" At her nod he grimaced and pulled her against him, his arms closing around her shaking body as he comforted her. He was surprised she wasn't crying, but her eyes were dry. Her fear went too deep for tears now. 

Tammy chewed her lip as she watched Glenn disappear around the corner and she glanced at Amy. "Will you be okay?" she asked. 

Amy nodded, closing her eyes and letting herself relax against Kevin, wishing he was Mark. That thought made her frown, thinking of him with that woman at the table. Who was she? 

"I'm going to find Glenn," Tammy said, giving a small smile to Kevin and then leaving in the direction Glenn went. 

"Let's go and tell Vince," Kevin said, startling Amy. 

"Okay," she murmured, finding herself gripping his shirt and not moving at all. A sound some distance behind her made her turn her head and she felt a hysterical urge to giggle. It seemed fate was playing with her today, because Mark had just walked out of the door and his eyes were fixed on how close she and Kevin were standing. The woman he had been sitting with walked out behind him, but Mark ignored her and started towards Amy, fury written in every line of his powerful body. Amy actually started moving, trying to back away, but Kevin kept hold of her, giving her a reassuring smile. "Don't panic," he whispered as Mark got closer. 

Amy swallowed and looked up when Mark reached her, meeting his eyes with some difficulty. She had expected him to say something, but he just stared at her, his eyes so cold that she finally had to look away. As soon as she did he looked at Kevin's hands holding her so possessively, and then at the man himself, seeing that coldness reflected back at him. 

"Problem?" Kevin asked, glaring at the man who, even now, he still considered a friend. 

Mark took a deep breath to try and stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth, but it didn't help. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he growled, briefly indicating Amy. 

"Exactly what you told me to do," Kevin answered, giving a smile that felt alien even to him as he deliberately provoked him. He was damned if he would just let Mark walk all over him. 

Mark's frown got, if possible, even worse. "Meaning what?" 

"You told me to go fuck her, I'm just doing as you suggested," Kevin said, seeing Mark's temper splintering and unobtrusively moving Amy slightly away from him. "Of course, being the gentleman I am, I decided maybe I'd wine and dine her first...." 

His words were cut off when Mark threw a savage punch at his chin, knocking the big man backwards and into the wall. 

"You son of a bitch!" he yelled, moving to go after him and continue what he had started. 

Amy surprised all of them by standing in front of him and blocking his path, her face as white as chalk, but still she stiffened her spine and glared at him. 

"You leave him alone," she told him shakily. 

Mark sneered. "Why ?So you can get some action? My God, you little slut!" he spat the words out at her and she shrank back from him, horrified at what he was saying. 

"I'm not," she said weakly, feeling the pain taking her breath from her. 

"How the hell could I be so wrong? You managed to make me think there was nothing going on, and you did it by playing on my emotions. I guess that's something you're used to doing. Does Vince know what a worthless little tart you really are?" he asked her coldly, the way he looked at her making her flesh crawl. 

She shook her head in denial, unable to believe he could say such things to her. "I don't deserve that," she whispered through numb lips, looking at the man she no longer recognised before she turned and ran, heading for the elevator so she could get to Vince's office. 

She managed to convince her godfather to get someone to take her home without really telling him anything about what had happened, but he was suspicious and she could tell. Luckily he didn't push her for answers, intending to talk to some of his employees when she had left. He called Shane and told him he had no choice but to go home and stay there, keep an eye on Amy. As it turned out Shane didn't have a problem with that, having done what he came to do, and he showed up at Vince's office a few minutes later, smiling at Amy as he took her hand and drew her out of the chair she was sitting in. He frowned when he saw how pale she appeared and looked at Vince for answers, but the older man shook his head and shrugged. 

"Right, we'll get going then. See you later?" Shane said, nodding at his father and guiding Amy out of the room. 

The ride home was silent and Shane didn't try making her talk, sensing her deep emotions and wondering what the matter was. She had always been quiet and she had good reason, but from what his father had told him, she had been well on her way to showing her true personality. So what the hell had happened to make her close up like a flower denied the sun? 

When they arrived at the house, Shane let her out of the car at the steps and then went and parked it in the garage, coming back to find she had already gone inside and was making her way up the stairs. 

"Hey wait up," he said, making her stop her progress and glance briefly at him. "Come and have a drink with me." 

Amy tried to speak and couldn't, so she just shook her head and looked away, making Shane frown worriedly. He went up the stairs to where she was standing and took her arm, shocked to find her shaking like a leaf. 

"Jesus, Amy, what's the matter?" 

He waited for an answer but she didn't speak, closing her eyes and shaking her head again. "Come on, come and have a drink, I think you need one," he said softly, drawing her back down the stairs and into his fathers study where he poured something amber coloured into a glass and thrust it under her nose. "Drink." 

Amy automatically did as he said, taking a large swallow of the liquid and then choking as it burned it's way down her throat. But it had the desired effect and brought her partially back to reality. "What was that?" she asked huskily, her eyes watering. 

"Brandy, best thing in the world for shock," Shane told her, smiling wryly. 

"Shock?" she asked, her brain working slowly. 

"Yes, shock. Because that's what you were acting like, exactly as if you had had a shock. Want to tell me about it?" 

Amy thought briefly that this family must be sick to death of her crying and looking tragic most of the time, but they had never once complained, always being there for her, more now than ever. She made a concerted effort not to cry as she told Shane about Tony's visit. She didn't say a word about Mark, though, and she couldn't analyse why. Maybe it was because she knew what Vince would do, and what Shane would do too. Vince would fire Mark, and Shane would try and fight him. She didn't want that to happen, not to either of them. Shane hugged her, kissing her on the forehead when she said she wanted to go and have a rest. He watched her walk out of the room and waited until she was well out of the way upstairs before he picked the phone up. 

"This is getting out of hand," Shane muttered as he dialled his fathers cell phone and waited until he answered, rattling off what she had told him as soon as he did. 

"This is ridiculous," Vince muttered. "Thanks Shane, I was going to ask around here to find out what was wrong, so you've saved me some trouble. I'll get on to the police again and have a little word with security. They aren't doing their jobs well enough." 

The two men said their goodbyes and hung up, and Shane filled the glass again, sitting down and sipping slowly at the spirit as he thought about what he'd do to Tony if he ever caught him. 

**** 

Back at the Arena, Mark was sitting in his dressing room cursing roundly. Sara was sitting there with him, watching him as he worked his temper out and thinking in amazement that he had never gotten quite that angry with her. He must care about that little bitch a lot, she thought, so it was a good job she would soon be out of the picture so Sara could sink her claws into him with more ease. 

She leaned forward and took Mark's hand in hers, drawing it up to her face and planting a kiss in the centre of his palm, the action stopping his words as he stared at her in astonishment. "What the hell are you doing?" 

"Oh Mark," she said softly, injecting some desperation into her voice and standing up. "I hate seeing you like this, so wound up," she purred and abruptly planted herself on his lap, her arms twining around his neck as she leaned in and kissed him, putting everything she had ever learned about men into the kiss. Her knowledge was vast. 

Mark jumped when she placed her mouth on his, his eyes staring at her incredulously, and he moved his hands to her arms to get her off him. But Sara held on, rubbing herself over him until he felt himself start to harden underneath her. He took a shocked breath and stood up pushing her violently off him and watching as she smiled seductively, not in the least bothered by his actions. 

"What the fuck is the matter with you? I don't want you anymore Sara!" he said, angry with her and with his own body. 

"Yes you do," she said, looking pointedly at his crotch. "Come on Mark, I can make you feel better, get rid of some of that tension," she said, moving closer again and running a hand over his chest and down, grabbing his erection through his jeans and rubbing. 

Mark groaned helplessly as his body reacted to her touch, but his mind refused to give in. "Get off me Sara!" 

"Make me," she whispered, dropping suddenly to her knees and opening his jeans before he had the presence of mind to stop her. As he lifted his hands to make her stand up she grabbed his hard flesh and drew it out in front of her, closing her mouth over him and sucking expertly, the feeling making his knees shake and his hands grab her head. 

He looked down at her with desire and disgust equally mixed and then swore loudly. Fine, if this was what she wanted, he thought, then she'd better be ready for it. He grabbed her face so she couldn't move and started pushing into her mouth in long, fast strokes, feeling her throat spasm as he forced himself down it, not in the least concerned with her comfort as he drove himself to completion. He groaned harshly as he held himself deep in her mouth, letting the brief pleasure skitter over his nerves before releasing her and zipping himself back up. He looked down at her kneeling there trying to catch her breath, and grimaced with distaste, disgusted with what he'd just done and with whom. Crouching down so she had to look up at him, he grabbed her chin and sneered. 

"Was it everything you'd hoped for?" he asked sarcastically, and she let her eyes fill with tears, choking back a sob theatrically as she jumped up and ran out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind her she smiled and wiped her mouth. Regardless of whether or not Mark wanted her, she would eventually get him. She pulled out her cell phone and rang the number Tony had given her, wincing at her sore throat. 

"Hello?" 

"Hello Tony, it's me. I think it's time we carried out our little deal, don't you? Tomorrow. Pick me up at my hotel at 9, then we'll both get what we want," she said, grinning happily into the phone as he agreed and she hung up. She could hardly wait. 


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty-six 

Vince looked at Amy across his breakfast and frowned, his eyes moving to his wife and seeing the same look reflected there. Tony's visit had turned Amy back into the frightened mouse she had been when she had first come here, and he didn't like it one bit. But something else was bothering him too. There was something she wasn't telling him, he was sure of it. He shuddered to think what that something might be, because for her not to tell him it must be worse than the threat of her ex-boss. He would give her space to think, and then hopefully she would come to him with any problems she had. 

"Linda, did you send those forms off?" he asked his wife, raising his eyebrows. 

The elegant blonde woman looked up and gave a knowing smile. "Oh yes, I sent them off. It should only take another couple of weeks now, what with there being no-one to contest it," she said, smiling mysteriously when Stephanie and Shane shot her a confused look. 

"What papers?" their daughter asked. 

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with just yet," Vince said, glancing once at Amy and then back at his daughter. "You're not working today are you?" 

Stephanie shook her head. "Nope, I need to do some Christmas shopping later on, it's only a few days away now. Why?" 

"I want Amy to stay here today, and I want someone here with her. If you want to both go shopping that's fine, but I'll have someone come with you, okay?" 

Stephanie nodded and Amy looked at Vince, not offering any argument. He raised his eyebrows. "Is that okay Peaches?" 

"That's fine," she murmured, turning her attention back to her breakfast and pushing it around the plate. 

"Hmm. Well, I have to get going, some of us _do_ have work to do," Vince said, blotting his mouth and standing up, Linda following suit. "Well come on!" Vince said, eyeing Shane still sitting there eating. 

"Okay, okay!" the younger man said, smiling and then rolling his eyes as he took a last gulp of coffee. "Hey, sweetie," he said to Amy, putting his hand on her shoulder when he stood next to her. "I thought I'd bring Glenn back for lunch today, maybe Glenn's girlfriend. What's her name? Tammy isn't it? What do you think?" 

Amy brightened a little and gave a wan smile. "That would be nice." 

Shane nodded and messed her hair up with one hand, grinning like a kid. "Great. See you later...oh, you do realise you'll have to make lunch though, don't you? Maggie's off for the rest of the day!" 

Stephanie threw her napkin at him and then laughed as he rushed out of the house, her parents following at a more sedate pace. 

"Well, looks like a girls morning then. What would you like to do?" 

Amy shrugged and glanced out of the window at the thick snow that still covered the ground. "I don't know really. I wouldn't mind going for a walk around the grounds before we go shopping, I feel a bit restless." 

"Okay, but you better bundle up nice and warm, otherwise dad will kill me. The last thing you need is to get flu again!" Stephanie said, grimacing. "Well, I'll clear this little lot up and then we can get walking. To tell the truth it'll probably be good for me, I feel like I haven't had any fresh air for ages!" 

Amy watched as the older woman went about clearing the table and she got up to help, glad to have something to do to take her mind off Mark and the horrible things he had said. But nothing helped and she just kept thinking about it, replaying the scene over and over again as she tried to make sense of it all. And then there was that woman he had been sitting with, holding hands with, something that had hurt the worst. She frowned. Was that how Mark had felt when he saw her with Kevin? she wondered. If it was, then his actions were a little more understandable she supposed, although she would never have said those sort of things to him. 

When Stephanie was satisfied that everything was spotless, they both went and got their coats on. 

She looked Amy over when she came back downstairs and stood in the hallway. "No, no, no, this coat isn't warm enough. Hang on a second," Stephanie said, rushing back to her room and returning with a long black coat. "Here, wear this one, that way I'll know you're warm enough." 

"I'm not sick anymore," Amy grumbled, letting Steph put the coat on her regardless. It was warm, she thought, maybe too warm. It was extremely thick and made of some very luxurious material. She tied the belt tight and then tucked a scarf around her neck, staring at Stephanie and waiting to get her approval. 

"Okay, that's better. Let's go!" the older girl said, and she grabbed Amy's arm and dragged her out of the house, beginning the long walk around the grounds, their progress somewhat hampered by how deep the snow was in places. But it had the desired effect and Amy felt herself starting to relax a bit, Stephanie's constant chatter bringing a smile to her mouth. When she gave a shiver at how cold it was, the older girl stopped walking and put her hands on her hips, looking at her comically. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting cold? Dad will kill me!" she said, tutting and shaking her head. "Come on, let's get back and I'll make a nice cup of coffee and we can talk about what you're going to buy your man for Christmas!" 

"I probably won't be seeing him again, so it won't matter," Amy mumbled, her mind firmly on Mark again now Stephanie had bought up the subject. 

"What do you mean? Have you argued?" Stephanie asked as they walked slowly back towards the house. 

"Sort of," she replied and then shook her head. "It's nothing really." 

"Well, it doesn't sound like nothing if you don't think you'll be seeing him again!" 

"It's just something he said...I guess I'll have to wait and see," she muttered, trying to make it sound okay when she thought it was anything but. 

"It'll be okay, Amy, you'll see. Arguments like this always blow over as quick as they begin. I bet he'll be banging on the door before the day's over!" Stephanie said, smiling reassuringly at her. Amy forced herself to smile back, not wanting Stephanie to be affected by her current misery. "That's better. Now, about that shopping trip....oh, who's that?" 

Amy followed Stephanie's gaze and saw a car sitting in the driveway near the house, but thought nothing of it. The fact that Stephanie didn't know who it was didn't get through to her for a second. She looked at the older girl and saw her frowning. 

"Don't you know who it is?" 

Stephanie shook her head, and then shrugged. "It's probably an associate of dad's, someone I don't know. We'll let them know he's not here and then we can start getting lunch together for when Shane gets back." 

They went around the front of the house and saw the car was empty, and Stephanie frowned again. "That's odd, they can't be in the house...." 

"That's right, we can't be," Sara said, making both women swing around to face her. Stephanie's eyes widened and then she sneered, her lip curling up as she bared her teeth. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"Shouldn't that be 'what are _we_ doing here?'" Sara said smugly, giving Steph an evil smile before turning to Amy, her eyes filled with hatred. "I have a surprise for you." 

Amy saw the movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head in time to see Tony step from behind some shrubbery, and she felt herself become boneless as shock paralysed her. 

Stephanie hadn't seen the man before, but Amy's instant reaction to him let her know who he was. "What do you want?" 

"Oh, this little bitch knows exactly what I want," Tony said, grabbing Amy by her hair and dragging her to stand in front of him, laughing as she cried out in pain. "And guess what, pretty, I'm gonna get it. There ain't no-one here to stop me this time." 

Sara watched him and smiled gleefully. "As for me, Stephanie, I want Mark and I will get him." 

"He would never go back with you, Sara, he has more taste than that!" Steph spat at her, looking from one of them to another as she tried to decide what to do. 

"Really? Well, he didn't have any complaints when he had his dick in my mouth last night," she said, arching one eyebrow. 

Amy stared at the woman with wide eyes, feeling unbelievable pain course through her as she heard what Mark had done. And this woman was his ex-wife, someone he had professed to hate. She felt as if he had been playing with her the whole time. Tony's hand tightening in her hair jerked her back to reality and her eyes filled with tears of pain as he almost pulled the hair from her head. "I'm gonna have some fun with this one," he said, raising his other hand and trailing it over the front of her body, the sensation thankfully numbed through the heavy coat. 

"You can have all the fun you want, afterwards," Sara said, pulling a gun out of her pocket, much to Stephanie's shock. "Now then, let's get inside and we can get the ball rolling, okay?" 

She motioned for both women to move and Stephanie reluctantly unlocked the door and let them in, Tony shoving her and Amy along in front of them until they stood facing each other in the hallway. Sara closed the door behind them and smiled. "Here's the plan ladies. You two are going to telephone Mark and Vince, and you are going to say exactly what we tell you to say, understand? Then, if you're really good, you may not come out of this too badly maimed." 

"You bitch," Stephanie said, her voice quiet as she stared at the woman she had once tried to befriend. 

Sara nodded and moved towards her. "Maybe so, but you won't say that again," she said, using the back of her hand to strike the other woman hard across the face. 

"No!" Amy shouted, surprised that her voice was working. 

Sara turned to her in surprise and laughed. "Seems our little mouse here wants us to stop. Shall we stop, Tony?" 

Tony grabbed hold of Amy's throat and laughed, bending until he was right in front of her, his breath wafting across her face. "No, we're just getting started." 

"You can't make us say anything we don't want to," Stephanie said, her breath coming hard as she wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. 

"Don't be naive Stephanie, do you really think I won't use this gun?" Sara asked her, and shook her head. "It goes like this. If you don't say what we want you to say, we kill Amy over there. And vice versa. Of course it's up to you, but I know what I'd do in this situation."  
"Yeah, I know what I'd do too," Tony said, slowly pulling a knife out of his pocket and holding it in front of Amy's face. "You'd be surprised how much I can change someone's appearance with this blade. I'd be happy to demonstrate later." 

"You can have your fun soon, Tony," Sara said, looking at Amy with an unholy light in her eyes. "We'll begin with her. Here's what you both have to say, and I want it to be word perfect." 

She started talking and Amy heard the words through a fog of disbelief. If she said those things.....if she said them to Mark and Vince, they would hate her. She felt her chest clench with a combination of fear and pain, knowing she wouldn't be given a choice in this. Sara moved closer to her and lifted the gun, seeing the fear in the younger girls eyes and relishing it. 

"You see, it's not only you that you have to worry about. If you don't do as we say, then there really isn't any point in letting anyone else live, is there? Mark won't want me, so I'll just let Tony take care of him," she said shrugging. 

"I thought you wanted him back," Stephanie asked, glaring at the other woman and then looking at Amy with concern. 

"Oh I do, but I want him on my terms. Basically Steph, if I can't have him, then no-one else will either. Now let's stop wasting time. We'll use this extension," she said, holding up the cordless telephone from the front room, "so we'll know if you give them any clues as to what's really going on." She held the gun out and let Tony take it from her and watched emotionlessly as he instantly put it to good use. Sara looked around and her eyes fell on the scarf Amy was wearing, seeing that Stephanie was wearing a similar one. She took them both and used one to tie Stephanie's hands behind her back, pulling the material too tight and making her moan at the pain it caused. She smiled and turned her around, using the other scarf to gag her, tying that too tight as well, her face a picture of spite as Stephanie broke down and started crying. 

Amy watched all this happen, paralysed as she felt the cold steel of the gun press under her chin and she swallowed convulsively in fear. "Now, you pick that phone up and you ring him. You tell him what she told you to say, and maybe...._maybe_...I'll let him live," Tony said in her ear, his foul breath wafting across her face. 

She shakily picked the receiver up and dialled Mark's number, hating what she was about to do and hoping with all her heart that Tony would leave him alone. She knew that he would do to her whatever he wished, and she was aware of the other two women watching from the corner of the hallway. Sara's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, but Stephanie was softly crying, her mouth covered by the gag making any sound impossible except for the soft muffled sobs that could barely be heard. Sara elbowed her and hissed at her to shut up. 

The phone rang twice and then Mark's voice came over the line. "Hello?" 

"Mark, it's...it's me," Amy said, wondering if her voice sounded as odd to him as it did to her. 

She heard him take a shocked breath at the sound of her voice, and wondered if it was because he hadn't expected her to call him, or he hadn't wanted her to. His next words, however, were soft and caring and she knew he would probably have apologised for the day before, had he had a chance before now. "Amy? Honey, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine. I only rang you to say...to tell you that it's over. I don't...I don't want to see you again," she said quietly, trying desperately not to let her tears be heard by him. 

"What?" he asked, his voice letting her know he hadn't expected that. 

"You heard me. I've ...I've..." she broke off and turned pleading eyes on Tony, only to have the gun pressed even harder under her chin. She quickly continued. "I've had my fun, now I'm getting bored. I need more than you can give me. You were amusing for a while, but I can see why Sara went off with another man." 

She closed her eyes and let the tears seep through her lashes when she heard his sharp intake of breath. She was hurting him and he would never forgive her for it, even though she was doing it for a good reason. "What the fuck do you mean? Is this because of yesterday?" 

"No, I'm seeing someone else," she said and then hesitated again, not knowing if she could say the words Tony had told her to. He pulled her hair hard and she had to stop herself from crying out as he urged her to go on. "He's better in bed than you could ever be, he knows how to please me. You never would have had the first clue. I'm...glad that we never actually went all the way. The thought of it disgusts me. We've been...we've been laughing about you, wondering if you'd...you'd ever realise what was going on. But you didn't have enough brains to figure it out. I'm sorry Mark..." she began, trying to make her voice sound sarcastic and not knowing if she was succeeding. His next words told her she was and her heart shattered inside her chest at the pain she was inflicting. 

"Save your fucking pity. You bitch, you really had me fooled..." she heard him curse softly and his breathing got heavier. "I hope you fucking rot in hell!" 

The phone went dead and she dropped the receiver on the stairs, her shoulders sagging as she let the tears fall more freely. 

"Well done, pretty. That should get rid of him for good, at least from _your_ life. Just one more call to make," he said, walking over to Stephanie, ripping the gag from her mouth when he bent down in front of her. "Now you call your Daddy and don't deviate from what I told you, or I'll shoot you in the head, you got me?" 

Stephanie nodded and did as he told her, waiting for her father to answer the phone. "Dad, can you come home, please?" 

"Steph? Are you okay, what's wrong?" 

"Daddy, there's a man here and he's going to kill me," she said, her voice hitching on a sob as she looked at Amy apologetically. "Him and Amy are lovers and they've been planning this...Daddy you have to help me..." 

Tony smiled and nodded, snatching the phone away from her. "You better get here McMahon, and you better do it quick," he snarled into the phone, smiling with satisfaction as Sara replaced Stephanie's gag. 

"Who the fuck is this?" Vince yelled. 

"You'll find out soon enough. And bring the big dumb asshole that Amy's been fucking on the side. She wants to see his face when I torture him." 

"You fucking bastard, Amy would never..!" Vince shouted. 

"Oh wouldn't she?" Tony asked, handing the phone to Amy and nodding, cautioning her to behave with one wave of the gun. 

"Vince, bring Mark with you," she said dully. 

"Amy what are you doing?" 

"I'm having fun, for once. Do as you're told or we'll kill her," she said, repeating what she'd been told to say, her voice lifeless. 

"You...you can't be.." Vince stammered, not able to believe what he was hearing. 

"Just do it, and don't involve the police, or she dies," Tony yelled, taking the phone back and listening for a few seconds. He put the phone down and grinned. "They're on their way. Now we can have some fun, eh?" Tony dragged her down the last few steps and threw her across the floor, making her smash her shoulder painfully on the cold marble. She struggled as soon as he tried to lay on top of her, determined that she would not give in to this loathsome man. He hit her so hard on her cheekbone that she thought she was going to pass out, but her senses soon swam back into focus and she tried pushing away from him. 

"Don't bother fighting me, you little cunt," he panted, trying to grab her wrists, "it'll only make it harder on you! I'm going to fuck your brains out, and you're going to enjoy it!" 

"You'll have to kill me first!" she shouted at him, bringing her knee up sharply and trying to get him between his legs, but she just kneed his thigh, enraging him further. 

"Right, you want to do this the hard way? That's fucking fine with me," he growled, punching her once more and then getting up. Amy was confused at his move, until she saw him go towards Stephanie, the older girls eyes getting wide when he raised the gun up. 

"If you don't open those legs and let me have you, then I'll make sure that this bitch won't ever have a man look at her again. You got that?" he asked, staring at Amy as he pressed the gun against Stephanie's cheek. Steph looked at her and shook her head, indicating that she shouldn't give in, even though there was a lot of danger for her. But Amy couldn't allow anything to happen to the woman who was rapidly becoming like a sister to her. 

"Please, no, please don't hurt her," she said quietly, sitting up from her prone position as fast as her aching body would allow. "She doesn't deserve any of this, please let her go!" 

Tony gave a sneering smile. "Oh, I like the sound of that, you begging. Maybe I can get you to beg a bit more?" He dragged the gun down Stephanie's face and pressed it to her upper arm, facing it away from her body. "Let's hear some more then bitch," he said, then he pulled the trigger. The report of the gun was ear-splittingly loud in the large hallway and Amy screamed as Stephanie fell sideways, her eyes flickering shut and her upper arm exploding with blood. 

Sara sneered and moved away from the unconscious body, trying to wipe the spots of blood from her immaculate suit. "Be careful, I don't want to look too bad when Mark rescues me," she grumbled, glaring at the big man. "Which reminds me, you'd better do what we discussed." 

Amy watched in horror as Stephanie lay on the floor, a small pool of blood starting to form around her arm. Her eyes darted to Tony when he stood up next to Sara and then drew his fist back, punching her on the side of the face and knocking her out. He turned and studied Amy's shocked face. 

"Now her ex will think she was a victim, and he'll want to make her all better. Such a shame for you. But don't worry, you'll have me, won't you?" He sauntered over to her and gave her a hefty kick in the ribs, making her lose her breath and lay there winded. "Does it hurt?" he crooned, putting the gun away and fumbling in his pocket until he found the wicked looking knife again and held it in front of her face. Amy had enough time to widen her eyes in fear, then a soft groan from across the hall made her look at where Stephanie was laying. She had come to and was now feeling the pain from her gunshot wound, her face pale as shock started to affect her. Her eyes looked over to where Amy was, but she was still gagged so she couldn't speak. All she could do was watch as Tony flipped the knife over and over in his hand, walking around Amy as if she were a sculpture he was about to start work on. 

"They'll be here soon, bitch, and I'm going to make sure I'm not. Oh don't get too hopeful," he said, laughing at her expression, "I won't be far away. They'll discover you three and then they'll blame you for it all. So when they throw you out...and they will throw you out...I'll be waiting for you." He grinned at her. 

"I'll never come to you," she muttered, glaring at him with all the hurt and hatred she had inside her. Whatever happened now, he had ruined her life. He had made her turn everyone who she cared about against her, and she knew that she would never be able to explain what had really happened. They wouldn't want to listen. 

"Oh you will, you'll come to me and you'll beg me to kill you. And after I've had my fun, I just might grant your wish. But for now...a little something to make sure you don't forget me," he said, moving swiftly down onto one knee and pressing the knife against her side. "Tell me if this hurts at all," he told her, grinning maniacally as he pushed the blade slowly through her thick coat and between her ribs. 

She jerked and screamed as the pain transmitted itself to her brain, burning along her nerve endings as the blade sliced through her flesh. He twisted it a quarter turn and then withdrew it, ignoring the way she thrashed about to try and escape the pain. "There, it won't kill you...at least, not yet. But it will hurt like a son of a bitch. Farewell, pretty, see you in a little while," he said, stroking her hair off her face and walking out of the house. 

Amy lay there gasping for breath, fighting to remain conscious. As the first wave of shock and dizziness passed, she managed to pull herself over to the stairs and slumped against the wall there, her breathing jerking out of her as she tried to get used to the pain. She looked down and was surprised when she couldn't see any blood. Of course her coat was black and thick, so even when the blood did come through, it probably wouldn't show. But she could feel the stickiness of it creeping out of the wound and wetting her shirt. 

Time passed slowly, she had no way of knowing how long, but eventually she heard a car drive up outside and closed her eyes, knowing it was them, knowing they would now look at her with hate in their eyes. What she hadn't counted on was how much hate she would see there. 

When Vince came rushing in the door he took in the scene in a split second, his eyes finding Stephanie and rushing over to her. Mark stood dumbfounded as he surveyed the three women, his eyes fixing on Sara for a short while in confusion and then swinging to Amy. They were an intense green and sparkled with hatred and anger, making Amy flinch. She watched as he marched over to her in three long strides and grabbed her upper arms, pulling her up in front of him and giving her a shake. "You bitch, you unbelievable bitch, how could you do this?" he yelled at her and she almost bit through her lip to stop from screaming as the jarring shakes made her wound felt. 

"Look at Stephanie, look at her you bitch, look what you did. Where's your latest fuck anyway? Did he abandon you?" he asked, dropping her onto the steps and sneering at her. "It's no more than you deserve, you worthless tramp! We're going to make sure you get put away for the rest of your life! And this," he said, spotting the pendant he had bought her peeking out from the collar of her coat, "is something you never deserved!" He grabbed the fragile chain and yanked it hard, making it cut into the back of her neck briefly before it broke and he flung it across the hall. He gave her one last hateful glare before he spat on the floor near her and walked over to Sara, his hands gentle as he stroked her hair back from her bruised face. 

Amy cried quietly as she watched, not even bothering to try and defend herself. What would be the point? She had condemned herself in their eyes forever. 

Stephanie felt Vince take the gag off her mouth and she tried to speak, to tell him what was really going on, but her tongue felt too thick for her mouth and she couldn't seem to make any sense. "Daddy....Amy..." she finally managed to gasp out. 

"I know sweetheart, I know, I can't believe it either." He frowned as he looked at her arm and he flipped his cell phone out and dialled the police and ambulance service. 

Stephanie tried to talk again and ended up moaning. "No, don't try and talk sweetheart, just lay still now, you'll be okay," Vince said, holding her gently, the worry in his eyes quickly replaced with disbelief when he looked over at Amy. She was huddled against the wall of the staircase, one arm gripped tightly to her side and her face stark white, and he tried not to feel any pity as he looked at the bruises she had. He was confused. He thought he knew her, and now it turned out he had no idea who she was. Perhaps she took after her father more than he had realised, but his worried mind couldn't quite work out what it was that was wrong with all this. 

Amy lifted her eyes and met Vince's gaze, flinching at the look in them before lowering her eyelids again. She heard Stephanie trying to speak again and tensed when she heard her name. 

"Amy...Amy got hurt..." Stephanie managed to slur. 

"Shh, baby," Vince said, all his attention on his daughter again. "She doesn't matter, just rest. She doesn't matter anymore." 

Amy tasted blood as she bit through her lip, trying to stop herself from howling her pain out loud. It wasn't fair. She took as deep a breath as her wound allowed and slowly and laboriously pulled herself upright by holding onto the banister, struggling to catch her breath as she achieved her goal of standing. It took what felt like forever to move slowly over to the place where the pendant had landed, but she couldn't bear to part with it. It would probably be the only thing she would have to remind her of Mark, and it was infinitely precious because of that. Once she had managed to bend down and pick it up and close her fingers around it, she cast a grief stricken gaze at the people who she loved the most in the world - and who she now thought hated the sight of her. She had to get out of here, had to get away from them all. No-one would care anyway, she thought, and began the slow process of staggering to the door and slipping outside. She was right, no-one saw her go, no-one except Stephanie and she was in too much shock and pain to be able to protest. 

Amy looked blearily around the cold landscape, relieved that she couldn't see Tony lurking around out here, but her relief was short-lived. She had taken only a handful of steps when a hand came down on her shoulder. 

"Hello, bitch. Told you they wouldn't want you, didn't I?" he growled in her ear and she almost collapsed at the shock of his reappearance. Oddly she didn't feel too much fear anymore, and she realised she was on the verge of giving up. She tried to summon up a spark of fight, but could find none. What Mark and Vince had said to her had killed something fragile inside her, even though they were only reacting to what she had been forced to say. But what they had said had hit home. She didn't matter anymore, Vince had said, and he was right. 

She felt Tony's arm slip around her neck and he pulled her backwards, dragging her into the shrubbery surrounding the big house. If he was surprised at her lack of resistance then he didn't show it, he simply moved her to where they were out of sight and then threw her on the ground in the snow, coming down on top of her. From a vast distance she felt his mouth on hers, his hands running up to her breasts and squeezing them through her coat, trying to get a reaction out of her. But she had none to give, she felt dead inside even though, conversely, she was hurting more than she ever had in her entire life. 

"Come on you bitch, don't just play dead, give me something back!" Tony whined, roughly parting her legs with one of his and laying squarely down over her. When she still didn't move or react in any way he got frustrated. "Maybe this will help!" He drew back his fist and viciously punched her in the ribs, right where he had stabbed her and she gave a scream of agony as pain surged strongly through her. "That's better, let's try that again!" he said, grinning nastily as he repeated the attack. She actually heard her rib crack, but she couldn't make any more noise as she suddenly found it difficult to breathe and she coughed violently, getting a mouthful of blood. Her fingers closed tighter around the pendant until her nails bit into the palm of her hand, drawing blood. Black dots started to appear at the edges of her vision as she tried to draw air into her lungs and from somewhere far off she heard a voice shouting. She couldn't make out who it was and decided it must be Tony yelling at her, until she saw a familiar face bend down over her looking concerned. 

"Amy! Amy, speak to me!" Shane put his hand on the side of her face and waited for her to say something. When it became obvious she wasn't going to he swore and ran off into the house. 

He had just driven up to the house with Glenn and Tammy when he heard her scream and had found Tony apparently beating and trying to rape her. Glenn was still having fun pounding him into the ground, but Amy wasn't aware of any of it, still struggling to breathe. Tammy bent down next to her and stroked the hair away from her face, not knowing what to do. Her eyes caught the sheen of moisture on the dark material of Amy's coat and she untied the belt around Amy's waist, trying to move slowly. Her eyes filled with tears of panic when she opened the coat and saw the amount of blood that was pouring out of her friends body, and she called for Glenn. 

When Shane got inside the house he couldn't believe the sight that met his eyes, and he ran to his sister's side, seeing if there was anything he could do. "What the hell happened?" 

Vince snorted. "The man who was supposedly following Amy happened!" 

"What do you mean, supposedly?" Shane enquired, frowning. 

"He wasn't following her. They...planned all this together," Vince said, his frown getting deeper. "I still can't believe it." 

"What the hell are you talking about? She wouldn't do that, you know that!" Shane said angrily. 

"That's what I thought, but she told me herself on the phone." 

"No, that can't be right. She's outside right now, I just got that guy off her. She's hurt real bad, Dad," Shane said, unable to conceal his worry. "I have to call an ambulance." 

"Don't bother, there's an ambulance on it's way for Steph." 

"Dad, you don't understand..." 

Vince held a hand up to silence his son, a deep frown appearing between his drawn eyebrows. Something wasn't right about this, something about that phone call. "Her voice wasn't right," he murmured quietly, the frown getting deeper. 

"What?" Shane asked, looking confused. 

"Her voice...it sounded wrong. There's something wrong about all this, something..." 

He was cut off from what he was going to say when Stephanie regained her senses and struggled to tell them what was happening. She managed a groan and tried some slow breathing to try and become more lucid. 

"Steph, honey, just be still," Vince said. 

She shook her head slightly and her eyes looked to where Sara had regained consciousness and was crying softly against Mark's shoulder. She couldn't let this happen, she had to say something now, before it was too late. "No...no....it was her..." 

"We know, it was Amy," Vince said. 

"No! It was Sara.....it was Sara....and Tony...." 

Sara's head shot up at those words and she sent a venomous glare at Stephanie, hoping that Mark hadn't heard. But his hearing was too sharp and he had caught every word. His arms dropped from her immediately and he shoved her away from him, standing up to glare at her. His frown turned quickly into fear as he thought about where Amy was and what Shane had said. 

"They did this....he hurt Amy...he stabbed her, he made her say things....you have to help her..." Stephanie continued, tears flowing down her face as she tried to work through the pain to make them understand. 

"Steph, calm down," Vince said, his eyes nevertheless shooting to Shane and Mark as panic bloomed within him. "Call another ambulance!" 

Shane quickly complied and was promised that they would be there in no time. 

"Where is she?" Mark asked Shane, pulling the smaller man up on his feet and almost shaking him. 

"Outside, follow me," he said immediately, rushing from the house with Mark close on his heels. When they reached the place where Shane had found Amy, they saw Glenn bent down giving her mouth to mouth, one big palm resting on her chest and feeling for a heartbeat as he concentrated. 

"Oh, God, no," Mark ground out, the hot sting of tears at the back of his eyes. He couldn't believe he had condemned her so easily, even if it had been her who had made him believe it all in the first place. He should have had more faith, should have realised. But all the recriminations in the world weren't going to help now. He kneeled down next to her lifeless form and took her hand, grimacing as he saw the blood soaked shirt she was wearing, the extent of her injury clearly seen. 

He watched helplessly as Glenn and Shane worked on her together, only moving when he finally heard sirens. He made it out to the driveway and told them where she was, leading them there and standing back to watch as they took over where the other two men had been. 

All three stood and waited, hardly noticing the skill of the paramedics, their eyes on Amy. Shane quickly apprised Glenn of the situation and they discussed what would become of Tony, watching as the police started swarming over the place and dragged a screaming Sara from the house. 

Mark wanted to throw himself off the nearest building as he remembered what he had said to Amy, what Vince had said, and also how he had acted. She had hurt him and he had wanted to hurt back. But he hadn't known she had been stabbed when he shook her, and she had given no indication, made no noise, even though it must have been viciously painful. He tried to stop the moisture from creeping into his eyes and failed, having to turn and walk away before the other two saw it. 

He listened to the noises behind him as he composed himself, swinging around when the paramedic said the words he had been waiting for. "We've got her," he said, and they quickly put her on the gurney and into the waiting ambulance. 

"Aren't you going with her, man?" Glenn asked him, frowning in confusion when Mark backed away from the vehicle. 

"I should have been here for her, I shouldn't have just taken her words at face value...I should have..." he broke off and shook his head in self disgust. "I may as well have done this myself." 

"Don't be an idiot, Mark, she needs you!" Glenn snapped. 

"She won't want me when she wakes up...if she wakes up. I can't face that," he said, struggling with his emotions and then walking quickly away, leaving the other two men staring at him in shock. 

"I can't believe he did that," Shane said, shaking his head. 

"Me neither," Glenn agreed, then turned back to the ambulance. "I'll go with her, you go and be with Stephanie." 

Shane nodded and watched as Glenn hauled himself inside the vehicle and it drove off, the second ambulance roaring up to take it's place seconds later. He lead them inside and they dealt with Stephanie. 


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty-seven 

Glenn paced around the waiting room at the nearby hospital and wished he smoked. Tammy had stayed behind to wait for Linda and let her know what had happened. They hadn't been able to get the older woman on the phone immediately, and none of them could wait around doing nothing, so Tammy had offered to stay. Glenn was waiting for her arrival and for Vince to come back from wherever he had disappeared to once they had brought Stephanie in. 

As for Mark, no-one knew where he had gone. Glenn had used his cell phone and called virtually everyone he could think of, but had come up with no leads. He would wait only as long as it took to find out how the two girls were and then he would go and find him himself, and slap him upside the head for abandoning Amy like that, he thought grimly. 

He turned as the waiting room door burst open and Tammy came rushing in, closely followed by Paul Wight, Paul Levesque, Dwayne Johnson and lastly, Kevin Nash, all of them looking shocked. "What's going on, Glenn? Are they okay?" Dwayne asked while Tammy rushed over to hug the big man. 

"Stephanie was bought in a short while ago, so I'm not sure about her. Amy," he shook his head and grimaced, "she stopped breathing and me and Shane did CPR. The paramedics took over and managed to get her back, but other than that I don't know. It doesn't look good if you want the truth." 

"You think she'll die?" Kevin asked him, looking sombre. 

"Let's just say I wouldn't be overly shocked if she did. That scumbag stabbed her, he actually stabbed her and he was beating on her too...I wanted to kill him!" Glenn growled, looking furious. 

"But you saved her didn't you?" Tammy asked him softly. 

"I guess so, but it doesn't feel that way right now. Stephanie's been shot in the arm. God what a mess!" 

"What about Mark and Vince? Where are they?" Paul Levesque asked, frowning at the emptiness of the waiting room. 

"Vince is somewhere around, probably talking to the doctors. Mark went AWOL at the scene. No-one has any idea where he is." 

"I'll find him," Kevin said, moving towards the door. "I have a fairly good idea of where he might be." 

Glenn grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Wait a while. We need to know how Amy is before we find him, in case he asks." 

"He doesn't deserve to know!" Kevin said fiercely and glared at Glenn, shaking his hand off. 

Glenn raised his eyebrows and grimaced. Kevin Nash in a bad mood was not something anyone needed right now. He was well known amongst the wrestlers for his bad temper, and he was an equal to Mark when he got angry enough. A smile briefly touched Glenn's mouth. Maybe he should just let him go and find Mark and knock him about for a while, teach him a lesson. He stared at Kevin silently for so long that the older man became slightly uncomfortable and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Sorry man, I shouldn't have yelled at you, it ain't your fault," Kevin said, sitting down suddenly on a chair and leaning his arms on his knees. 

"It's okay, we're all a bit tense at the moment. But I still think we should wait a while, okay?" Glenn said, taking a seat himself and beginning the long wait for news. 

Vince eventually joined them, looking worn and every year of his age, Linda and Shane trailing in behind him. Kevin was the first to jump up. "How are they?" 

Vince remained standing whilst everyone else sat down. "Stephanie will be fine, eventually. The bullet went straight through her arm and just grazed the bone, but luckily there was no nerve damage. She'll have a hell of a scar and she's lost a lot of blood, but she'll be fine." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Amy...she's not doing good. They're operating on her right now. It seems the knife wound wasn't the worst of it, although it caused major blood loss. It was the beating she took that did the most damage." 

Tammy started crying against Glenn's shoulder and all the men in the room became silent as they waited for Vince to continue. Kevin stood up and started pacing around, unable to keep still any longer. 

"He busted one of her ribs and the rib punctured her lung, that's why she stopped breathing. If Glenn and Shane hadn't kept working on her she would be dead now, or severely brain damaged." 

"Why are they operating on her? What are they doing?" Kevin asked quickly. 

"They can't re-inflate the lung for some reason and she's still bleeding profusely, so they have to find out why. They said she has a fifty-fifty chance of surviving." Vince ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes, his pain showing for a moment. 

"You don't think she's going to make it do you?" Kevin asked, slumping back down in his chair in shock. 

"I really don't know what to think," Vince replied, going over and sitting next to his wife, pulling her into his arms as he comforted and was given comfort in turn. 

It was nearly two hours later when a surgeon finally walked into the room, looking around at the assembled wrestlers with surprise. He turned to Vince, the one person he had seen before and smiled, making the older man's legs almost go out from under him with relief. 

"She's doing fine. We had to remove a portion of her lung I'm afraid, but she won't even know it's gone. She's had a transfusion and we've sorted out the blood loss. Now all we have to do is wait for her to wake up," the surgeon said, happy that this one had worked out so well. He had seen similar cases where the victim had died whilst they were desperately trying to save their life. 

"Can we see her?" Vince asked, managing to get his shaky legs to stand up. 

"Well, only you and maybe your wife, she's only just come out of the recovery room. Give me a while and I'll arrange for you to see her in ICU." 

"God, thank you so much," Vince said, grabbing the man's hand and shaking it enthusiastically. "If there's ever anything you need, anything at all..." 

"Mr McMahon, you've contributed so much to this hospital over the years that it's just nice to pay you back for some of it," the surgeon said, shaking his head. 

"Yeah, but this is different, this is personal. Thank you," Vince said again, letting a smile touch his mouth as the panic left him. 

"It was my pleasure. Give me ten minutes and I'll send a nurse for you, okay?" 

Vince nodded and watched as the man left the room, closing his eyes with heartfelt relief and then turning to the others. "Where's Mark?" 

Glenn grimaced and relayed the story, seeing fury written in Vince's eyes, and then sudden understanding. The last emotion confused him and Vince could see it. "I know how he feels," Vince explained. "I believed what that asshole made her say, and so did Mark, and neither of us should have listened to one word. We should have known." 

No-one contradicted him and eventually they all settled down and talked about everyday things, trying to keep their minds off the awful events of the day. A nurse came and got Vince and Linda and the others waited impatiently until they got back, their heads bursting with hundreds of questions they wanted to ask. 

"She's okay, she's already shown signs of waking up, but they think she'll probably remain out of it until tomorrow at least. She looks a damn mess though." Vince said, looking angry again. "I've never seen so many tubes and wires coming out of one person!" 

He looked at Glenn and then at Kevin, pursing his lips. "Do either of you two know where Mark might be?" 

Kevin nodded. "I have a good idea." 

"Good, let's go and find him then, shall we?" Vince asked and then turned to his wife, kissing her on the forehead. "I'll be back soon okay?" 

Linda nodded. "I'm staying here until I know both of them are settled properly," she said, worry still evident in her face. "Shane will stay with me." 

"Okay honey. Take good care of my girls okay?" Vince said, smiling sadly and then leaving the room, motioning for Glenn and Kevin to follow. 

"Hey what about us?" Paul Wight asked, standing up and dwarfing everyone else. 

"Yeah," Dwayne seconded, standing next to him. 

"You lot can all go home," Vince told them, his voice and his expression brooking no arguments. "We don't need you to help us right now, but you're welcome to come back and see the girls tomorrow." 

This seemed to satisfy them and they all nodded and started to move. Glenn grabbed Tammy to him and gave her a kiss, cupping her face in one big hand. "I hate to leave you like this, but I have to go beat some sense into Mark. You just stay here with Linda and I'll come and get you later okay?" 

"It's okay," Tammy murmured, running one hand up to smooth his hair. "I want to be here in case there's any more news anyway. I'll see you soon." 

Satisfied that everything was sorted out, the three men left the room and made their way outside to search for Mark. 

They found him some time later, sitting in bar drinking one whisky after another. He looked up as the three of them surrounded him, his mouth drawn down in a scowl. 

"What the fuck do you want?" Mark asked blearily, glaring at Vince like he was responsible for all his troubles. 

"I want to tear your head off, but I guess I'll have to wait, because in this condition you wouldn't even feel it. And I want you to feel it, you son of a bitch! What the hell is the matter with you?" 

"Me? What are you talking about?" 

"I thought you loved her, but I guess I must have been mistaken. No-one who loved her would up and leave her when she needed them the most," Vince snarled, settling himself next to Mark and snatching the bottle of whisky away from him. 

He expected Mark to argue or shout, but he said nothing, losing his angry demeanour and starting to look how he really felt, depressed. "How is she?" 

"How the fuck do you think she is? And why do you care?" 

"Will she be okay?" Mark continued, feeling guilty again. 

Vince stared at him for some time, reading his expression correctly, and he relented. "She will be, eventually. But she needs you, Mark, more now than ever." 

"She needs me?" Mark asked, surprised. 

"Of course she needs you, you big dope. Christ you're stupid sometimes," Glenn said, motioning for the bartender and ordering a pot of coffee. "Get sober and get to the hospital. She'll be unconscious 'til morning, but she'll need you when she wakes up and remembers what happened." 

"She'll blame me for all of this, for not believing in her," he murmured, rubbing one big hand over his face. 

"No she won't, she won't blame any of you. You know how giving she is, regardless of what life's thrown at her." 

Vince listened to Glenn speak and then reached out and awkwardly patted Mark on the shoulder, trying to ease the deep pain he could see in the other mans eyes, the slight mist of moisture that was quickly blinked away. "She loves you so much, that even if you had been the one hitting her, she'd forgive you. Don't you know that?" 

"I don't fucking know nothin' any more," Mark mumbled, taking the coffee that was placed in front of him and gulping at it, relishing the burning on his lips and tongue. He stared blindly into his coffee cup. 

Vince gave him a sympathetic look, knowing he wouldn't want anyone to see him like this. "I'll go catch a cab, but Glenn and Kevin are going to stay with you, to make sure you get sobered up. Listen," he said, placing a hand on Mark's shoulder. "Don't make it so hard on yourself. You didn't do this and you didn't let her down, so stop blaming yourself. That little girl loves you and I have to believe that she is intelligent enough to have picked someone with a brain to fall in love with. I want nothing more than to see you get to the hospital and make her happy, but don't do what you think is the right thing, do what you really want to do, okay? I'll see you." 

Mark lowered his head and tried to fight his emotions as Vince walked away, but it was a losing battle. Kevin gave a heavy sigh and sat next to him, grabbing him and pulling him into a quick bear hug, patting his back awkwardly. He was the only man who Mark would ever let hold him in such a way, and right now he needed as much reassurance as he could get. He smiled as Kevin pulled back and stared at him, raising his eyebrow. "Don't think this means I have the hots for you, cos I don't," he said, grinning. "Christ, I don't even know why Amy likes you, you're as ugly as a bucktoothed bull." 

"Yeah, well, I'm hung like one too," Mark shot back, forcing himself to lighten his mood as he downed the coffee and stood up. 

"I've seen you naked, man, I know that's a lie. A really big lie too," Glenn put in as he walked out of the bar behind both men. "If anyone here is hung like a bull it's me. Just ask Tammy. Oh, wait, you can't, she hasn't had the privilege yet." 

"You two haven't done the deed?" Mark asked, distracted. 

"Well, hell, no. She's...you know...she's never done it before," Glenn answered, trying not to feel too embarrassed. 

"Nor has Amy," Mark said, his lips twisting thoughtfully. "But she will, as soon as she's better." 

"Maybe she won't want to, what with you being so small in that department," Kevin said, laughing at Mark's outraged expression. 

"When I feel more myself you'll be paying for that," Mark warned and followed them to their car. 

"I wonder how I'll cope with the fear of anticipation?" Kevin mused, laughing again as Mark finally cracked a genuine smile. "Come on, let's go see your sweetheart." 


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty-eight 

Mark sat by Amy's bedside until the sun started coming through the window in the tiny room, his eyes fixed firmly on her face and willing her to wake up. He had been shocked by how bad she looked when he had come in here the night before, and he had sat there talking to her for hours, telling her how he felt, how sorry he was. 

He didn't know if she could hear him or not, but he hoped she could and that she could hear the sincerity in his voice. Vince had been right. He had come here because it had been what he had wanted to do, not just because it was the right thing to do. He couldn't have stayed out of pity and ruined both their lives. He was here now because she meant everything to him, and he had nearly thrown it all away because of his own stupidity. The anger at himself settled acidly in his stomach. When he had arrived the night before the nurse had given him the pendant that he had ripped from Amy's neck. 

"She was clutching this when she came in," the nurse explained, smiling at the big man. Mark had stared at the delicate gold chain for a long time, seeing the place where he had snapped it as he pulled it from her neck, and he went about trying to fix it, finding it difficult because it was so tiny compared to his fingers. But it gave him something to do as he sat with Amy, and eventually he managed it, satisfied that the chain would hold together now. 

Mark looked down at the small piece of jewellery and sighed deeply. She must have picked it up again after he took it from her, and he realised how much it must mean to her. He looked down at his other hand, amazed at how small her hand was, resting in his large callused palm, and he wondered how she could ever have been strong enough to come through the things she had. Now all he could do was pray she came out of this all right, and that she could bear to look at him if she did. 

His vigil was interrupted a couple of hours later by Vince walking into the room, smiling when he saw Mark still sitting there. "Tell me you haven't been here all night?" 

Mark shrugged, looking briefly at Vince and then returning his gaze to Amy's pale, bruised face. "Where else would I go." 

Vince frowned at Mark's morose expression. "You need some sleep." 

"I need to see Amy open her eyes," Mark corrected, pain flickering across his face before he got it under control. "I need to see her look at me without hating me." 

"She won't hate you," Vince said, sitting on the other side of the bed and looking at his goddaughter. "If she does, then God help me, because she'll hate me too." 

Mark shook his head and glanced up. "She would never turn against you Vince, you're her family." 

"Maybe. We'll see won't we?" he said, lifting a hand and gently touching Amy's face. The reaction he got was unexpected as her eyes shot open and she stared blearily around the room, seemingly unaware that they were there. 

"Jesus!" Mark hissed out, shocked at the suddenness of her coming awake. "I'll get the nurse!" 

He left the room and returned a couple of seconds later, virtually carrying the poor nurse in with him. She brushed her uniform down and gave him a dark look, before turning her attention to her patient and noting down the readings from the monitors. "I'll just go and page the doctor," she said with a smile, rushing out of the room. 

A short while later the doctor arrived and examined Amy, smiling gently at the way her eyes were now following his movements. She frowned slightly as she tried to swallow and felt the thick tube running down her throat, and she lifted a hand to try and remove it, her mind working fuzzily as she came out of her deep sleep. 

"Ah, no, no, no," the doctor said, pushing her hand away gently. "We'll take that out for you, don't worry. Your breathing seems fine now. You just wait there a minute." 

Mark and Vince stood helplessly at the back of the room, watching the doctor checking her over and the nurse flitting around doing his bidding. 

"Okay now, we'll just take that tube out and see how your chests doing, okay? When I say 'now' I want you to breathe out as hard as you can, okay?" the doctor asked her, smiling reassuringly when she gave a slight nod. He grasped the tube between his thumb and forefinger and nodded. "Now." 

Amy breathed out as hard as she was able and felt the tube sliding out of her body, making her gag slightly as the end reached her throat and was finally gone. She took a shaky breath in and coughed, making the doctor frown at her. "Let's have a listen to that chest. Gentlemen, if you would?" he said, gesturing for Mark and Vince to leave, something they did with great reluctance. Once they were out of the room, the doctor made her take a few breaths, listening intently. "Hmm, not too bad, but I think we'll keep you on oxygen for a while longer. Oh don't worry," he added, seeing her concerned expression, "it will just be a mask this time. Get some rest now." 

He left the room and shortly afterwards the nurse reappeared and put a mask over her nose and mouth, smiling and patting her hand as she left. Amy had a chance to examine her surroundings then, finding herself laying in a high hospital bed, tubes and wires coming out of her arm and her ribcage. Memories flooded back quickly of what had happened to her and she felt her eyes fill with tears as she thought about Stephanie, of the things she had had to say to Mark and Vince and of the way Mark had gone to Sara. She allowed herself a moment of self pity, then frowned. Vince and Mark had just been in her room, she was sure of it. Or was she? Her vision had been a little blurred, and she hadn't heard them speak, but she had been sure it was them. But where were they now? Her tired mind couldn't work it all out and she let her eyes drift closed again, barely hearing the door open again as the two men re-entered the room. 

Vince went straight to her and put his hand over hers. "Peaches?" he said softly, watching her eyes flicker open and stare tiredly at him. He smiled and squeezed her hand gently. "How are you feeling?" 

Amy's forehead creased in a frown as she tried to work out why Vince was here. He must hate her by now. She realised belatedly that he was waiting for an answer and she licked her dry lips beneath the rubbery mask. "Sleepy," she said, her voice no more than a whisper even though she felt as though she were talking loudly. 

"Are you in any pain?" Vince continued, his eyes taking in the severe bruising on her face with concern. 

She tried to analyse how she felt, but her body was strangely numb. "No." Her eyes met Vince's again and she frowned, the action making her face twinge a little bit, but she ignored it. "Why...are you here?" 

The older man winced. "I have to be where one of my favourite girls is, don't I? When she needs me?" 

"Stephanie?" Amy asked, thinking he couldn't mean her, not after what she had said. But his next words lifted her heart. 

"No, you. You're my baby, the same as Steph is, don't you know that?" he asked her, bending and brushing a light kiss over her forehead, pretty much the only place on her face that wouldn't hurt if he touched it. 

"But...I said things..." she frowned again, feeling incredibly tired and frustrated as her mouth wouldn't work properly. 

"Shh, honey. You were made to say things, we all know that now. You've done nothing wrong." 

She stared at him through a mist of tears and then turned her eyes away, looking around the room and seeing Mark standing there, the tears getting worse and overflowing. Mark moved swiftly over to her and took her other hand, sitting in the small chair and leaning in so she could see him properly. "Don't cry, my baby," he murmured, carefully brushing a tear away. 

She gave a hitching breath and felt her system start to give up it's fight to stay awake, but she had to tell him, she had to say it. "I'm....so..sorry," she faltered, her eyes drifting closed as exhaustion overwhelmed her. 

Mark swore softly at her words and closed his eyes in pain, his chest hurting with his heavy emotions. "Oh God," he groaned, dropping his forehead onto the bed and squeezing her hand gently. 

Vince stared at him and shook his head, knowing how the younger man was feeling. "Mark, let's get some coffee while she's sleeping, then you can get home and get some rest." 

Mark lifted his head and stared at Amy for a long time, lifting her hand to place a kiss on it, before standing up and moving out of the room, not saying a word. 

They went to the hospital cafeteria and Vince purchased two large cups of coffee, sitting down at a quiet table with Mark and sipping it slowly, smiling helplessly when he saw the strong brew doing it's job on the bigger man and waking him up a bit. "Better?" 

Mark nodded and sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck wearily. "I needed this more than I thought," he admitted. "How can she blame herself?" 

"I have no idea, not after what we said to her," Vince said, shaking his head and staring into his own cup. "But it's our job to make sure she gets better, make sure she quits those sort of feelings and puts the blame where it really lies, with Tony." He looked up again. "And you need to get some sleep so that you'll be of some use." 

"I don't want to be away from her," Mark said, shaking his head in refusal, but Vince raised his eyebrows. 

"Yeah, well you will be, and so will I some of the time. We're going to resume our normal routine." 

Marks face became stiff with anger. "And pretend nothing's happened?" 

"Of course not! But routine will help Amy settle back in. If we're around her all the time, paying too much special attention, she'll only feel more guilty. Believe me, I know," he said, thinking of how she had been some years ago. 

Mark narrowed his eyes as he looked at the older man, a suspicion forming in his mind that he didn't like at all. "You're not thinking of sending me back on the road?" 

"That's exactly what I'm doing, and no arguments," Vince said, looking deadly serious. "For the next couple of days you'll follow the normal roster, but after that you go on the road with the others." 

"I was supposed to be taking time off, and Amy was supposed to be coming with me," Mark said. 

"And now you're not. I'll get the writers to come up with some storylines, maybe involve Kevin to get him back in the spotlight again. As for the rest of the company, they'll do as they're told. There's no way I can have the Christmas party now, so we may as well send them onto the next town," Vince said, shrugging. 

"That's crap and you know it. I don't feel any more like having a party than you do, but the whole company has come to expect it now. You always throw a party for Christmas," Mark said, looking at the older man and then giving a sad smile. "It would have been Amy's first real Christmas, you know?" 

"I know. I guess it could still go ahead, but it would have to be without me. Amy won't be out of this place for a long time, and I just wouldn't feel right drinking and dancing while she was laying here." Vince pursed his lips as he started thinking more clearly. "I was going to have caterers anyway and I could get JR to host it. Hmmm," he said, rubbing his chin, "maybe that would work. I could arrange a small gathering when she's better, a late Christmas just for her." 

"She'd like that," Mark murmured, thinking of the gift he had been going to buy her. He had seen a ring, a beautiful emerald ring that would match her pendant. It had merely been a gold band with a large emerald in the middle, no frills and no diamonds because he didn't think she was a diamond sort of girl. Now he didn't know whether such a gift would be welcomed. He thought about it for a second. He hadn't intended it to be an engagement ring, but the thought of proposing to her didn't hold any particular terrors for him and he was surprised by that fact. Vince's voice brought him back to reality and he stared at the older man as he spoke. 

"Okay then, the day after Christmas you'll all travel to the next arena and continue working. Then, when Amy's totally recovered, you can take your time off and come back for her party." He looked at Mark and rolled his eyes. "I know you'd prefer to stay, but there isn't anything you can do for her at the moment anyway, and you know what they say about absence?" 

"Yeah. I just hope it's right in this case," he murmured, taking another swallow of coffee and retreating into his own troubled thoughts. 

For the next four days Mark was constantly at Amy's bedside, watching her as she slept most of the time. It was Christmas Eve before she was more lucid and opened her eyes for more than an hour. She looked around her and her eyes lit up when she saw Mark sitting there, his head resting on the bed and soft snores issuing from his mouth. She lifted her hand slowly and touched his hair, biting her lip at the feeling of touching him again when she thought he'd want nothing to do with her anymore. She couldn't remember much about the past few days, but she did vaguely remember his presence and it made her feel warm inside. He stirred slightly at her touch and his eyes popped open, a smile tilting the corners of his mouth as he felt her touching him softly, and he took her hand, kissing her fingers as he sat up. 

"Hello beautiful," he murmured, reaching out and running his finger down the side of her face. 

Amy blinked slowly at the gesture and gave a small smile, realising her oxygen mask was gone and so were most of the tubes. "What day is it?" she asked, frowning at the slightly husky sound of her voice. 

"It's Christmas Eve, darlin', very nearly Christmas Day," he replied, glancing at his watch and seeing it was nearly midnight. Vince's Christmas party was going on right at that moment, but Vince and Linda were with Stephanie in her private room down the corridor. Amy was still in intensive care, and Mark had been determined to stay with her every minute. Vince had arranged it that he would go back on the road the day after Christmas, and he needed to talk to Amy before he did that. He opened his mouth to speak and then cursed when the door opened, interrupting him. 

Kevin poked his head around the door and grinned. "Is it okay to come visiting?" 

"No!" Mark hissed, and glared at Kevin as he sauntered into the room anyway, grinning at him as he made his way over to Amy and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. 

"How are you, honey?" he asked her, taking the hand Mark wasn't holding and perching on the edge of the bed. 

Amy looked him up and down and smiled lightly. "Okay, I think. You look nice." 

Kevin looked down at his tuxedo and patted his ponytailed hair, grinning cockily. "I do try my very best," he said, and then eyed Mark with a raised eyebrow. "Shame the same can't be said for that redneck over there!" 

"Get lost," Mark shot at him, still glaring. 

"Where am I?" Kevin instantly said, looking confused and Mark couldn't help laughing. 

"Moron," he muttered and the other man smiled again, turning his attention back to Amy. 

"You see what happens when you do as he asks? What the hell do you see in him?" Kevin shook his head. 

Amy didn't answer him and Mark stared at her, waiting. But still she said nothing, not knowing what to say in answer to that question, when she thought that Mark was only here out of pity really. She didn't want to let him know she was still madly in love with him. That would only make him feel more guilty, so she remained silent. 

To the big man sitting waiting hopefully for her to say something nice about him, it was the final straw. She had finally realised she wasn't to blame, he thought, and now she blamed him instead. He stood up abruptly and looked from Amy to Kevin, before walking out of the room and closing the door quietly behind him. 

Kevin grimaced and looked at Amy with raised eyebrows. "I think he's upset." 

"Why?" Amy murmured, frowning at the closed door. 

"Because you didn't defend him, of course. Don't worry, I'll go and find him," he said, squeezing her fingers before releasing her and going after his friend. 

Amy wasn't left alone for long. Two minutes after Kevin left, Glenn came in the room, with Paul Wight behind him, the two men making the room shrink as they came in. "Hey Amy!" Glenn said enthusiastically, sitting next to her and grinning. "You look better." 

She smiled but didn't have a chance to answer as Paul came and sat on the other side and patted her hand awkwardly. "Good to see you awake," he said in his deep, slow voice. 

She looked at their attire and raised her eyebrows slowly. "Why is everyone dressed up?" 

Glenn and Paul grinned, both of them wearing tuxedos like Kevin had been. "Well we had a Christmas Eve party, and we had to look good. Do we look dashing?" Glenn asked, standing up and striking a pose. 

"Yes, you do," she said, smiling tiredly. "Where's Tammy?" 

"She's just gone in to say hello to Vince and Linda, they're visiting with Steph. She'll be along in a minute so she can show you her dress," he said. 

"What about you Paul? Didn't you have a date?" she asked him, stifling a yawn. 

"Yeah, sort of, but I left her there for a while, so I could come and see you. She's probably gone home by now," he said, shrugging his huge shoulders and getting a stain of colour on his cheeks as Glenn laughed. 

"Yeah, and you don't give a damn because she ain't the person you want to be with, is she?" he said, laughing at Paul's outraged expression and then looking at Amy. "He's got the hots for someone else." 

"That's nice," she murmured, smiling at him and then turning her eyes to the door as Tammy came in. She looked stunning with her hair coiled up in a complicated mass of curls, wearing a midnight blue dress that fell in soft drapes down to her ankles, the corset bodice accentuating her figure. Glenn's eyes lit up and he looked her up and down appreciatively, as if he hadn't seen her dressed like that before, and she walked over to him as he held his hand out to her. 

"Doesn't she look absolutely fantastic?" he asked Amy, his eyes still on his girlfriend. 

Tammy gave him a light smack and smiled at Amy as she was pulled down onto his lap. "Ignore him," she said, looking Amy over. "How are you feeling?" 

"Okay, tired," she replied, grimacing as she felt her eyelids getting heavy. 

"You're not in any pain at all?" Tammy asked, glancing at the drip that was attached to the other girls arm. 

"No, I feel...sort of numb, I guess." 

"Hmm, that's this drip, I think it's morphine," the blonde girl murmured. "Feeling numb is a good thing at the moment, I should imagine. You missed the Christmas party." 

Amy gave a small shrug. "It doesn't matter." 

"Vince thinks it does," Tammy said, raising her eyebrows but not elaborating. "He's just coming to see you as well, so we all have to get out, there's already too many of us in here. Talking of which," she said, frowning, "Where's Mark?" 

"I don't know," Amy replied, her eyes closing on a blink and almost not opening again, a movement that Tammy saw and smiled at. 

"We'll get out of here and give you some peace. It's nice to see you with your eyes open for a change. Get better okay?" she said and gave her friend a kiss on her forehead, jumping up and grabbing Glenn's hand to pull him out of the room. He resisted until he had given Amy a kiss as well, and then waited while Paul did the same and they all left together. 

Vince arrived next, beaming at her as he walked in with Linda and Shane. She noticed that none of them were wearing party clothes, and she wondered why. "Merry Christmas, Peaches," Vince said, bending and kissing her cheek and hugging her gently, mindful of the drip and the chest drain tube at her side. "How do you feel today?" 

Amy smiled as she thought of how many times she had already answered that question. "I'm fine. How's Stephanie?" 

Vince smiled and looked at his wife as she sat down next to him. "She's doing real good, she's coming out of here tomorrow...well, later today now, I guess, since it's gone midnight!" 

"I'm so glad," Amy murmured as her eyes closed for too long again. She opened them and saw Shane sit down on the other side of the bed. 

"You're tired, we should leave," he said, looking at her worriedly. 

"Yes, we should," Vince agreed, brushing Amy's hair back from her face and wincing at the bruises still vividly colouring her skin, although the swelling was a little better. "We'll come back later on, okay?" 

"Okay," she agreed, too tired to argue about it anyway. She closed her eyes again and this time was unable to open them, and she felt Vince stroke her face before they left her alone, letting her sleep. 

_***Okay, it's a bit slow I guess, bear with me!****_


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter twenty-nine 

Kevin found Mark sitting outside staring up at the stars, taking no notice of the snow that fell relentlessly around them. "What are you doing out here?" 

"I just needed some air," Mark said, breathing deeply and letting his shoulders slump. 

"Seems to me you got a bit upset in there," Kevin pointed out, glancing at his friend as he sat next to him. He watched as Mark shrugged but said nothing. "Want to talk about it?" 

"Not particularly." 

"Well, I think you should. We all know what you can be like when you bottle things up," Kevin said, giving a mocking laugh that made Mark's hair almost stand on end. 

"You can fucking talk! Every time something happens to you in your life, you try beating the shit out of half the roster, so don't go trying to make out that I'm..." 

"There, that's better, isn't it?" Kevin cut in, grinning. 

Mark stopped talking and gave a short laugh. "You son of a bitch, you always manage to get me talking." 

"That's what friends are for, isn't it? That, and pointing out when you're acting like an asshole," he added. "Why'd you walk out like that? Surely you're not sulking because she didn't answer my little question?" 

"I've been waiting for her to look at me and remember what I said to her. I guess she just did," Mark said, trying to sound as if it didn't matter. 

"Did you see her looking at you like that? Because I didn't. She has a very expressive face, and she didn't look like she was accusing you of anything," Kevin said, looking more serious suddenly. "She did look guilty though, if you want my opinion." 

"She did?" Mark asked, his head jerking around to look at Kevin to see if he was joking. 

"Yes, she did. Vince told me she apologised to you virtually the moment she woke up, so she must be blaming herself for all this." He pursed his lips. "That's bad enough, for her, without you blaming yourself as well." 

Mark shrugged. "I can't help it. I keep going over and over what I said to her." 

"It ain't your fault, man, I would probably have reacted the same way," Kevin said, having heard the full details of what went on. 

"Yeah but it wasn't you, was it? It was me. I was the one who grabbed her and shook her, I was the one who yelled at her....God I should have seen it, I should have known..." 

"Right that's it!" Vince yelled, startling both of the men sitting outside as he came up behind them. "I have had just about enough of all this! Amy is the one we should all be thinking about and the way you're acting at the moment you'd do her more harm than good!" 

"Yeah but.." Mark began, trying to interrupt. 

"Yeah, but...nothing! She doesn't need this and you need to get your head sorted out Mark." Vince stared the younger man down until he retreated and looked away. "That being the case, you're going back on the road as soon as I can arrange your flights. No arguments!" he bellowed when Mark tried to object. He lowered his voice and sat next to the younger man. "I know you want to be around Amy, but you won't be any good for her if you're this uptight. Get back on the road, do your stuff, sort your head out and then come back and see her. I'll keep you informed the whole time okay?" 

Mark sighed deeply and slumped. "I don't want to leave her." 

"I know you don't, but you know I'm right. She needs time to recover and she'll probably hate you being away as much as you will." 

"Then why the hell send me away?" he demanded, frowning. 

"Because you're driving everyone crazy, that's why!" Glenn snapped, joining them outside with Tammy and Paul Wight shadowing him. 

"How do you expect me to behave?" 

"Not like this! You've been blaming yourself and anyone else who happens to be near you, and we've all had enough. I've said it until I'm blue in the face, it is not your fault, not my fault, not Amy's fault. The blame lies entirely at the door of that asshole she used to work for and he's paying for it right now. So enough." Vince sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You get the hell out of here and let her get better. She'll be waiting for you when you get back." 

Mark stood up. "I don't see why the hell I should...." 

"You'll do what's best for Amy," Glenn said, standing next to him. 

"Damn right you will," Vince agreed, giving him a hard look. "I'll call you with regular updates." When Mark looked like he was going to argue again Vince frowned. "Actually, maybe I won't. I'll call Glenn, or Kevin. If I have to listen to you blame yourself for this one more time I'm liable to fire your sorry ass!" 

Mark and the others watched as he walked away from them, Linda giving them an apologetic smile as he joined her at their car. Kevin stood up and brushed some flakes of snow from his tux. "Well, I suppose we'd better go and get some sleep. Sounds to me like we're going to be sent on our way later today, Christmas Day or not." 

Mark stood up next to him. "I'll come back to your hotel for tonight, but not just yet. If I have to leave then there's something I have to give Amy first." 

Kevin raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think she's a little ill for that just yet?"  
It took a second for his meaning to sink in and then Mark glowered at him. "Not that, you idiot! God, how did I ever become friends with someone like you?" 

"Just lucky I guess," Kevin said, grinning inanely. "Okay, we'll see you back at the hotel. But don't you keep that little girl awake any longer than she needs to be!" 

"Don't worry, I ain't gonna wake her up," Mark murmured, walking off before anyone could ask him what he was going to give her that she didn't need to be awake for. 

He walked into her room quietly and sat next to her, studying her relaxed face and brushing the backs of his fingers over her soft skin. He really didn't want to leave her, but Vince was right. He was in no fit state to help her recover at the moment, but he would be when he'd worked through this guilt trip, and then he'd come back. Putting a hand in his pocket he pulled out the pendant on it's chain and opened the clasp, leaning forward to slip it around Amy's neck and settle it on her chest. "There you go sweetheart," he whispered, lifting her hand to kiss it. "It's back where it belongs." 

He stood up and gave her one last look, then left the room. 

**** 

Vince came back to see her later that day, and this time he wheeled Stephanie in the room in a wheelchair. "Here you go, someone wanted to come and see you," he said as he parked his daughter next to the bed. "I'll just go get some coffee for us and I'll be right back," he said and left the room. 

"Hey, how are you doing?" Stephanie asked, smiling and grabbing Amy's hand. 

"I'm feeling a bit more normal today," she replied, starting to feel better now they had reduced the pain medication. It was still being pumped into her body, but in lesser quantities, so her brain was functioning a bit quicker now. She looked at the sling Stephanie was wearing and grimaced. "Are you okay?" 

"Yes I am. Don't let the wheelchair fool you, the nurses wouldn't let me walk here, but I'm feeling pretty good. Actually it's not as bad as I thought it would be. It hurts, sure, but I've broken my arm before and that hurt worse. I was lucky though, he could have shattered the bone, that would have made it really bad." She saw the look of pain that crossed Amy's face and squeezed her hand. "Don't you dare feel bad about this, or anything that you said. Dad told me you felt guilty, and there's no need. You're not the only one who said some awful things you know. I had to tell Dad that it was you when I spoke to him on the phone, remember?" 

"You had to, Tony was threatening to kill us," Amy said, and Stephanie wondered if she was even listening to her own words. 

"Exactly, which is why you can't blame yourself either. I'm okay, and apart from a scar, I'll heal up nicely. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I could get a plastic surgeon to look at it if it's that bad. On the other hand," she said, smiling wickedly, "I might be able to show it off to people as a genuine war wound! Maybe it would impress people, you know, men?" 

"Men? Any man in particular?" Amy asked, picking up on the odd note in Steph's voice. 

"Er...no, not really. Well, maybe," she admitted, biting her lip and looking slightly embarrassed. 

"Who?" Amy asked, honestly curious as Stephanie hadn't shown any interest in anyone as far as she knew. 

"Promise you won't laugh? You won't say anything to dad or anyone?" the older girl said, the colour getting worse. 

Amy looked confused for a second. "I promise." 

"Well, I sort of like...er..Paul," she said quietly, looking at Amy to see what her reaction would be. 

"Paul? I thought you already pretended to have a relationship with him?" 

Stephanie was the one who looked confused now, and then her mouth formed an 'o' as she realised what Amy meant. "You mean Paul Levesque? HHH? No, not that Paul. I mean Paul Wight," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper again as she said his name, as if she was saying something wrong. 

"You like The Big Show?" Amy asked, surprised all over again. 

"Yeah. I know, it's probably stupid. But he's actually really nice and we've been talking a lot lately, and he came and saw me the other day." She raised her eyes to Amy's again. "Do you think we'd look stupid together?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, you know, he's huge and stuff and he's older than me. I don't know, I guess I'm worried what people will think." 

Amy smiled as she thought about Paul Wight, and what a lovely man he was. "I think you'd be cute together, he's really nice. Why worry about what other people think?" 

Stephanie smiled with relief. "I guess I shouldn't give a damn huh? You're the first person I've told that I like him. He doesn't even know yet." 

"Does he like you back?" Amy asked, shifting about as she tried to get more comfortable, making the pendant shift with the movement. 

Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even know if he'd tell me if he did like me, most of the guys I've been out with are worried because they think I'm the rich bitch they see on TV." 

"But Paul sees you all the time, he knows what you're really like," Amy pointed out. 

"I suppose," Stephanie said, then smiled. "You know, I guess I could invite him to the next party we have, or the next dinner or something, see how it goes." 

"He'd probably like that," Amy said, smiling as Vince walked back in the room and Stephanie gave her a warning look not to say anything. 

"Peaches," he said, dropping a kiss on her head and sitting down, handing Stephanie a cup of coffee. "Sorry, honey, none for you until the doctor says so," he said apologetically to her as she watched the two of them drink the fragrant drink. 

She looked up at the clock on the wall and bit her lip. "Is Mark...is he not coming today?" 

Vince looked at her. "No, honey, he isn't. I sent him back on the road so we didn't have to put up with his misery." 

Amy looked at her godfather in confusion. "Misery?" 

He nodded and smiled. "Someone seems to think this is all his fault, and we were just about ready to kill him. So he's gone." 

She felt tears sting her eyes and she blinked them away, feeling another load take their place. "He isn't coming back?" she whispered, her lip trembling. 

"Hey, don't get all watery on me! He'll be back in a few weeks. If it helps, it was hard getting him to go, he didn't want to leave you." 

"He just feels sorry for me," she mumbled, wiping at her eyes and sighing, her hand falling to her throat and a frown creasing her forehead. She felt her pendant and looked down at it, wondering how it had got back there. Before she could voice the question, Vince started speaking again. 

"No he doesn't. He feels a lot of things for you, honey, but not one of them is pity, so stop talking shit," Vince said, frowning. "I've sorted him out, now it's your turn." 

Amy looked at him, wondering what he meant. She didn't have to wonder for long. "What happened was bad, and it was horrible for everyone involved, particularly you. But it's over now, and no-one blames what happened on anybody but Tony Castrogiovanni. He's locked up, honey, and he'll be staying there for a long time, even without your testimony. He killed a girl some years ago and they're going to convict him for it, and for a string of sexual offences that he was never caught for." His mouth twisted into a sneer. "As for Sara, she'll be going down too, and she'll learn her lesson when she's inside. Her scheming has finally got her exactly what she deserves, and I don't know one person who feels bad about that except her!" He smiled at her. "As for you, you're getting better and the doctor said that if all goes well, you'll be coming home in a week or so. I understand why you feel guilty, but you have to realise that we all feel guilty too, for what we said. Now we just have to get ourselves back on track, okay?" 

"Okay," Amy agreed, nodding and giving a tentative smile. Vince had a knack of making her feel comfortable with any given situation. "But...does he want to see me again?" 

Vince gave her a knowing look. "Can't help yourself can you? Yes, of course he does. He isn't going to for a while, although I'm quite sure you'll be getting some of those messages you're so fond of." He watched as she smiled and colour came to her face for the first time since she had woken up. "That's much better. Now let's concentrate on getting you well again okay?" 

****** 

Amy was released from the hospital late the next week and Vince happily took her home, surprising her with a small welcome party of just the family. She was overwhelmed with being made such a part of them, and she finally started trying to put what had happened behind her. The only dark cloud on the horizon was the fact that Mark hadn't contacted her in any way, although she knew that Vince was relaying her progress through Glenn and Kevin, so he knew she was at home now. When she mentioned it to Stephanie, the older girl laughed. "You do realise that cell phones work both ways? Why don't you contact him?" 

"What would I say?" 

"If I have to tell you that, then maybe you shouldn't bother?" Stephanie said, raising her eyebrows and leaving her on her own. 

She pulled her phone out and chewed her lip. A text message wouldn't hurt, she supposed, but she couldn't decide what to say and so eventually settled on something small. 'Hello', she typed in, adding, 'how are you?' and wondered if it was too formal. But she sent it anyway and waited for a reply. It didn't come and she spent the day worrying that she hadn't been personal enough. 

She needn't have worried, as it turned out. Her phone bleeped at her later that evening and she hurriedly pulled the messages up. 'I've been worried about you. How do you feel?' the message read and she bit her lip. 

'I'm good. I miss you', she typed, getting a bit more personal and wondering what he'd say. 

It took a while for the message to come back and Vince smiled at the way she waited impatiently for it, glad to see her returning to normal. When the phone bleeped again she couldn't read the message quick enough. 

'I miss you too, baby, so much it feels like my insides have been torn out.' 

She read the message and sat silently for a moment, a smile slowly brightening her face as she read it again, making sure it really said what she thought it did. 

"Something good?" Vince asked, indicating her phone. 

"He misses me," she said, beaming now. 

"Well, of course he misses you. Sometimes I think you're as dumb as he is," Vince said jokingly, grinning at her. 

It set a pattern for the next couple of weeks as Amy went through the process of full recovery, and Vince was certain that the mass of messages the two sent to each other helped her along. Then the messages just stopped, and Vince rang to find out why, laughing helplessly when he found out Mark had smashed his phone to pieces when a message wouldn't send. He had made sure he telephoned Mark or one of the others every day with any news, and also to find out how things were going. He had managed to arrange it so he could stay at home for the majority of the time, only having to travel over to the company twice to appear on screen. Soon, much to Amy's excitement, the day came around when Mark was due to return and Vince drove her to the airport with Stephanie in tow. The older girl had wanted to be there because some of the other wrestlers were coming back too, Paul Wight included. She hadn't spoken to him since she had seen him in the hospital, but she had made sure her father had invited him back just the same, along with Kevin, Tammy and Glenn. Unbeknownst to Amy, a party had been meticulously planned for a night later that week. Stephanie had made her go shopping with her, and told her that she should get some belated Christmas gifts as that was what she would be doing as well. "I sort of missed out on Christmas, so I'm going to give people their presents when they come back this way," Stephanie explained and was pleased when Amy didn't see anything weird in that and went about buying her own gifts. She hadn't seen what she had bought Mark yet, but she knew she had got him something. 

They walked through the busy airport and then found some seats, sitting down to wait. Amy found she couldn't sit still and she stood up again when his flight was announced, moving nervously from foot to foot as she stared at the arrivals gate, waiting for a glimpse of Mark. After what felt like forever she looked at Vince. "What if he doesn't want to see me?" she asked, chewing her lip. 

"Of course he'll want to see you," Vince assured her, putting his arm around her shoulders. 

"But it's been six weeks, and he hasn't called me for a whole month. Maybe he's seeing someone else or something," she mused, feeling horror and pain lurking inside her waiting to burst forth if her words proved to be true. 

"Don't be ridiculous! He hasn't called you because he broke his phone, you know that. But he knows how you are, and from what Glenn tells me he's been a pain in the ass the entire month. That has to be because he misses you," Vince said with a smile. 

"Do you really think so?" Amy asked him, turning her gaze up to his face. 

Vince flicked her nose affectionately. "Yes, I really think so. Look," he said, glancing up at the arrivals gate and pointing. "Does that look like a man who doesn't want to see you?" 

Amy turned in time to see Mark standing there like a statue whilst the other passengers tried to squeeze by his huge form. His face conveyed his astonishment that she was there, then a huge grin transformed his expression in an instant as he dropped his bags and started towards her. 

Amy started smiling and found she couldn't stop, she was so pleased to see him, and when he got within a foot of her she flung herself into his outstretched arms, wrapping her slim arms around his neck as he hoisted her off the ground. 

"Oh, darlin', I missed you so much," Mark groaned, trying not to hold her too tightly. He drew his head back enough to see her face. "How are you feeling? Are you all right? Do you hurt anywhere? Have you been okay?" 

She gave a small laugh. "I'm okay, I'm fine, no and yes. Except I missed you," she admitted, gazing adoringly into his eyes as Glenn and Tammy came up next to them carrying Mark's forgotten bag. 

"Hey everyone," he said happily, his greeting echoed by Tammy, Glenn grinning like a lunatic as he watched Mark stare at the small woman as if he were hypnotised. 

"Hey Glenn, Tammy," Amy said automatically, not moving her eyes from Mark's. "Can I take you home with me?" she murmured. 

"Sure, you can take me anywhere you like," Glenn said, his big grin still in place. 

Mark shot him a look that quelled his humour briefly. "Not you, ya damn fool." He turned his attention back to Amy and smiled, his whole expression softening. "You can take me home for now, but you're coming home with me in a week." 

"I am?" she asked, her eyes widening and her smile following suit. 

"Yeah, you are. I have time due to me remember? I said I'd take you to my home, and now I'll finally be able to do it. With Vince's blessing of course," he said, looking belatedly at his boss. 

Vince smiled, pleased that Amy was so happy. Mark had already asked him if he could whisk her away for two months, and he had no objections as long as Amy wanted to go. "You've got it." 

"Thanks," Mark said, more grateful than he could say. "Then you're mine for two whole months." 

"Two months?" 

"Mmm hmm. Think we can find something to keep us occupied in all that time?" 

"Yes! You can go horseback riding, swimming maybe, read a good book, watch TV.." Vince said, listing things and ticking them off on his fingers. 

"I think we may find something better than that," Mark said, giving him a shit eating grin and receiving a glare. 

"For instance?" Vince prompted, trying not to let his protective instincts for Amy get out of control. Again. 

"We could go to the cinema, maybe rent a movie, play chess...any number of things really. Why, what were you thinking about?" Mark asked, feigning ignorance. 

Vince studied him slowly and let down his guard, smiling. "Maybe making a start on those great-god-children...or whatever you call them," he murmured, turning and walking away with Glenn before Mark and Amy could get their mouths closed. 

"Did he really just say...?" Amy said, shocked. 

"He sure did. And what a great suggestion," he returned, smiling at her and then lifting her up level with him and squeezing her tight again. "I didn't think it was possible to miss someone as much as I've missed you little girl. I think some of my buddies were about ready to crucify me, the way I've been acting." 

"I didn't know I could miss someone so much, either. It felt like someone ripped part of me away...please don't go away again," she said unsteadily, her hands desperately grasping his shoulders. 

"Well, you know I have to go away sometimes, but maybe not for so long, hmm?" 

"I don't ever want to be away from you again," she said huskily, her bottom lip trembling as she buried her face against his throat. 

Mark gave a deep chuckle and held her close, loving the feel of her, feeding on it like a starving man. He frowned suddenly and hugged her tighter. "Amy, I'm so sorry, baby. I believed all that bullshit you fed me, it never even occurred to me that you might be lying. I guess I still have some issues with trust, but I should have had more faith in you. I'm sorry I was such a prick, I'm sorry you got hurt....Christ, I'm sorry I hurt you!" 

He sounded so anguished that Amy held him as tight as she could, trying to give him some measure of comfort. "It's okay, it isn't your fault. I should have been stronger, I shouldn't have let him make me say those things...." 

"Stronger? Don't you fucking dare blame yourself for what that asshole did! Don't you dare!" he said harshly, drawing his head back to look at her and seeing guilt clearly on her face. "I don't know one single person who could have defied him, not with him threatening Steph and you! God, how can you possibly think you're at all at fault?" 

Amy's lip trembled briefly before she got it under control. "I hurt you," she whispered, taking a shaky breath. "I hurt Vince too. If you had said those same things to me I would have wanted to kill myself. I should have refused to do what he wanted." 

Mark closed his eyes on a wave of pain at what she must have been feeling over the last few weeks. "And then you would have wound up dead. You nearly did. I don't ever want to hear you say that you were to blame in any way, okay? As to what you said, I ain't gonna lie honey, it hurt like hell, but only because I thought you meant them. I'm falling hard for you and to hear you say those things..! But you didn't mean them, they weren't even your words were they?" 

"No! I would never say that to you, never! I feel so bad for hurting you." 

"No worse than I feel, and I don't have half the excuse you have. I wish I could take back the way I acted, the things I said, the things Vince said. I'd give the world to make everything right again," he said earnestly. 

"But it will be all right now, won't it? Tony will be in prison forever, he can't hurt me again. And you..." 

"Me?" he asked, smiling slowly as she stopped talking and just gazed at him. 

"You'll take me home." 

Mark smiled affectionately. "I'll take you home," he agreed. 

"Will you..." Amy said, frowning and chewing her lip for a second before continuing, her fingers tracing a pattern on his shoulder. "Will you still feel the same about me?" 

"No, I won't," he said, watching her eyes widen and jerk up to his. "I'll feel even more for you," he clarified, smiling at her. 

"Oh," she said softly, her lips curling up at last. "You will still kiss me and stuff won't you?" 

"Oh, yeah, baby, ain't nobody gonna stop me from doing that, nobody in the world. Come on," he said softly, dropping a kiss on her lips. "Let's get back to Vince's and I can start taking care of you, can't I?" 

She nodded with a small smile, her eyes alight with love for this huge man, something he couldn't possibly miss. He turned around and saw Stephanie still standing there and grinned sheepishly at her when she looked amused. "You coming back with us?" 

Stephanie bit her lip and looked towards the arrivals gate. "I guess so. Er....Mark, where are Kevin and Paul?" 

Mark looked behind him. "They're back there somewhere, looking for their bags. They'll be along, I'm sure they said they were coming straight over to your dad's when they got here. Why?" 

"Oh, er... nothing. Shall we go?" she asked, looking uncomfortable. 

Mark frowned briefly and then looked down at Amy, who had given his hand a hard squeeze, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, let's go." He gave Amy a look that let her know he would be finding out all about this later, but for now he was happy to have her awake and well and walking next to him again. 


	30. Chapter 30

_****I just had to share this with you, knowing that you'll all understand! Okay, so I just got a video through from an auction....God, I can't even remember what it was called...anyway, it was with Taker and Stone Cold having a match and it showed all the stuff that had led up to it...Taker kidnapping Steph, and there's this bit where he's in the limo and he sort of growls 'Where to Stephanie?' in a totally evil way and then laughs....oh my....that smile...those EYES!!!!......mmmmmm....I guess you can see where my head's at huh? You lucky SOB's in America, getting to meet him and stuff....like he'll ever come to France and even if he did, like I could afford to go and meet him!!! I'm green with envy! LOL. Now all I have to do is find out every single video he's in and buy them on auction...if that's possible. Anybody got any tips? And what good vids has Kevin Nash been in?? E-mail me! Us people in France are desperate...men like this don't exist in this country...or in Europe anywhere apparently!!! And also, is Kane actually going to be unmasked at some point, or has he already been? See how little wrestling we get? I have to get mine where I can!****_

Chapter Thirty 

They made their way back to Vince's house in a fleet of chauffeur driven cars that Vince had arranged for, a glum Stephanie sitting in the back of the car staring out of the window and trying not to get in Mark and Amy's way. Not that they even noticed her. Mark had pulled her onto his lap almost the moment the car door had closed and he showed no signs of letting her go anytime soon. Not that he'd kissed her, she thought with a frown of disappointment, but she supposed he was being mindful of present company, so she just enjoyed being held against him as his hands stroked soothingly up and down her back and arm. Amy turned slightly and slid her arms up around his neck, leaning against him again and feeling the enhanced pressure where her breasts contacted his chest. He drew in a sharp breath at the feel of her and then turned it into a cough when Stephanie turned and looked at him. 

"Are you okay?" she asked him, her attention diverted away from the window for a change. 

Mark shifted. "I'm just fine thanks. It's just Amy, she must have been eating well, she weighs a ton!" 

Amy instantly lifted her head from his shoulder and glared at him in astonishment. "I do not...!" 

Mark started laughing at her expression and she couldn't help but join in, feeling truly light-hearted now he was here with her. She grabbed his ear and twisted it gently, reminding him that she could hurt him if she wanted to and he raised an eyebrow at her, getting that same cocky expression on his face that she loved. "You might want to think about that, sweetheart," he murmured, grinning wolfishly at her. "You wouldn't want to make me sulk all night." 

"Why not?" she asked, trying to match his look and failing dismally. 

"Because then I wouldn't be able to pleasure you, would I?" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver and then blush furiously, hiding her face in his neck again as he chuckled. 

Stephanie smiled at their antics. "It's nice to see her back to normal again," she said to Mark, smiling warmly at him. 

"Yeah it is," he agreed, a wealth of meaning in his words as he tightened his arms around the girl in his lap. "So, how are things with you? The arm okay now?" 

"Yeah, it's not bad now. There's a scar, of course, but no muscle or bone damage, so it works exactly the same as it used to, or nearly as well," she said grimacing. "It's taken a long time to be able to lift much weight with it, but I've been getting physio so it won't be long now." 

"I guess that's to be expected," Mark murmured and watched with a frown as she looked out the back window again. "Looking for someone?" 

Stephanie jumped and turned her head back to him, trying not to look guilty. "No, not really...er, just seeing if the other cars are behind us." 

Mark nodded but still looked confused, waiting for her to elaborate. She grimaced as Amy came out of hiding and looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Oh, okay, I guess you're sort of like family and all," the older girl said, blushing. "I was looking for Paul Wight." 

"Paul Wight. Why?" Mark asked, starting to become amused at the other girls hesitancy. 

"No particular reason," she said, shrugging. 

"Oh, my God, tell me you don't have feelings for the big jerk?" Mark asked her, grinning. 

"He is not a big jerk!" Stephanie said sharply, defending him, and Mark's grin got worse. 

"He isn't? Oh, this should be interesting," he murmured, looking at Amy and wiggling his eyebrows. 

"Leave her alone," she said, pinching his shoulder and earning herself a look of surprise and then a small pinch on her backside that made her jump. "Hey!" she yelped, rubbing herself. 

"You deserved it, maybe now you'll stop attacking me!" he said back, laughing at her. 

Their joking and playfulness continued all the way back to the house and Stephanie jumped out of the car and stood waiting for the other vehicles to arrive, moving nervously from foot to foot in the cold. 

Amy smiled as Mark helped her out of the limo with great care, his hands supporting her the whole time and then pulling her gently to his side so he could walk with her inside the house. He smiled at Vince as they joined him in the hallway and was surprised to get a hug from Linda. His eyes took in the way the hall had been redecorated and he knew without asking that Vince had done it so that Amy and Steph wouldn't get bad memories from it. Although he could imagine they had those anyway. 

"So where am I staying?" Mark asked, dropping his bag on the floor and looking at Vince expectantly. "Here or at the Hotel?" 

"You can stay here, if you really must," Vince said, cocking his head to one side and narrowing his eyes, waiting. 

Mark didn't make him wait long. "In what room?" 

Vince nodded and grinned. "That would be up to Amy. The guest rooms are all made up, because for once I feel generous enough to have all of the others stay as well, seeing as there are only a few of them. One thing though," he said, moving right in front of the bigger man and lowering his voice. "Not under my roof, Calloway, not without one of these," he said, holding up his hand and pointing at his wedding ring. 

Mark looked down at Amy who was chatting to Linda and not listening to them, then he looked back at Vince, nodding. "Fair enough." 

"Good," Vince said, studying the younger man with a smile before turning to the door as the others started to arrive. 

Paul Levesque walked in chatting and laughing with a man with dark hair who Amy didn't recognise. She looked at Mark in confusion. "That's Eric Bischoff honey, he's a friend of Vince's. And that," he continued, gesturing to another, slightly younger man with very short blonde hair who had just walked in, "is Brock Lesnar. You haven't met them yet, but you'll like them." He frowned as he said that and turned her so she was standing facing him and no-one else. "You'd better not like them too much though." 

She studied his face for a second before smiling. "Why not?" 

"Because you belong to me," he said instantly, looking impossibly arrogant. "Or at least you will, as soon as I get you within sight of a bed!" 

She blushed but stood her ground, raising her eyebrows. "Who says I want to belong to you?" 

"Good question buddy," Kevin said from behind him as he arrived, laughing at Marks rigid back. 

"God, it's him again," Mark muttered, looking at her beseechingly. "I can't get rid of him, and believe me I've really tried." 

"Yeah, he kept trying to lose me, but it didn't work. Did I forget to mention what a good hunter I am?" Kevin said, looking down at Amy over Mark's shoulder and grinning at her. 

"Hey that's my name, don't go stealing things that don't belong to you!" Paul Levesque said as he got within earshot. 

"Bite me," Kevin said, sneering comically at the other man and then swinging around when Glenn snuck up behind him and did exactly that, nipping at his shoulder and making dog noises. "Goddamn it!" 

Mark rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You see what I have to deal with day in, day out? It's enough to drive a normal man insane!" 

"No way anyone would call _you_ normal," Glenn said, feigning shock. 

Amy started laughing at all the banter and eventually Mark introduced her to Eric and Brock, the only two people she didn't know. She thought Eric was a bit creepy, what with the way he seemed to be laying on the charm, but Brock seemed genuinely nice. 

Paul Wight was the last to come lumbering in the door and he dropped his bag just inside the hallway, looking around at everyone until he spotted Stephanie standing on her own to one side. Amy looked at the big man and saw the way his eyes brightened when he looked at Stephanie, and she nudged Mark so he could see too. Mark tightened one big arm around her possessively as they watched Paul walk over to the other girl and start making conversation, albeit a bit stilted at first, but soon they were laughing and seemed quite relaxed in each others company. "Do you think he likes her?" Amy asked him on a whisper, making sure no-one else was near enough to hear her. 

Mark shrugged. "Who knows? He's a clam, so none of us would have the first clue. Judging by the way he's looking at her though, I'd say there was a fair chance he liked her, yes." 

Amy sighed. "They look sweet, don't they?" 

"Well, sweet isn't the word I'd have used, but I guess so. You're just a romantic at heart, ain't ya?" he murmured, bending down and giving her a soft kiss that made her melt. "I can't wait to get you on your own," he growled into her ear and then laughed at the way she groaned softly, and hit him. 

Vince stuck his fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle to attract everyone's attention, and all the talking stopped instantly. "Okay, enough of the impromptu party in the hallway. We'll show you your rooms and then dinner will be in about an hour." 

Amy was almost jumping about with excitement at having Mark with her again, and he found himself grinning widely as she led him upstairs and into her rooms, showing him where to put his stuff and then throwing herself at him. He caught her easily and lifted her up, feeling her arms wrap around his neck again and closing his eyes on a shudder of need. "I never thought I'd get to hold you like this again darlin'," he said against her throat, flicking his tongue out and licking at a sensitive spot, making her shiver. "I'm just so grateful that you're still here with us!" 

"Me too," she murmured, tightening her arms and running her hands over his shoulders, loving the feel of him. He felt so big when he was this close to her, and she loved it. "Mark?" 

"Mmm-hmm?" 

"We don't have to go downstairs yet, do we?" she asked quietly, running a fingertip over his ear. 

He tilted his neck so she could continue her caress and she saw him smile. "I guess we don't. Why? What did you have in mind?" 

"I...er, well, I thought you might kiss me. You know. Properly," she said, her voice getting quieter and quieter as her shyness increased. She wasn't used to voicing requests like that and it showed. 

Mark pulled his head back and stared into her eyes from mere inches away. "What do you mean by properly darlin'?" 

"You know," she said, looking at him and catching her breath all over again at how handsome he was. 

"I do? Was it like this?" he asked, leaning in and brushing his lips over hers softly, lingering for a second. 

"Um...no," she whispered, pressing her lips together as she tasted him on them. 

"Like this then?" he asked her again, catching her lips and exerting a small amount of pressure, just enough to get her lips to part, but not taking advantage. He drew back and looked into her frustrated eyes, smiling affectionately at her. 

"No," she said, staring fixedly at his mouth. 

"Hmm, how about like this?" he said, and this time he tilted his head and opened his mouth on hers, his tongue flickering at her lips playfully before delving inside and tasting her for the first time in nearly two months. He couldn't quite get enough of her unique flavour and he continued the kiss until she was hanging bonelessly in his arms. When he drew back this time she followed his movement, and he chuckled at her dazed expression. "Was that what you wanted, baby?" 

She nodded. "I can't feel my body," she said, laughing breathlessly. 

He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Want me to do it again?" 

"Yes, please," she said, wondering if she could live through another soul shaking kiss like that, but very willing to try. "Can we lay down this time?" 

"Oh, yeah, we sure can," he murmured, walking over to the bed and laying down on his back with Amy still clinging to his neck. His big hands went to her waist and pulled her so she was laying hip to hip with him, her softness pressing down gently over his hard flesh, and he took a deep breath, letting it hiss out between his teeth as he felt pleasure flow through him. "That feels real good, darlin'," he said, his voice deep and sensual. 

"I haven't done anything yet," Amy said, blushing slightly as she felt him underneath her, and she got the urge to part her legs over his, biting her lip to stop herself. 

Mark saw that look and his eyes sparkled. "What's the matter, my baby? You want somethin'?" he drawled and felt her shiver in response, her eyes closing briefly. 

When she opened them again he saw the need in her eyes, and he ran his hands over her hips, brushing around to her backside and then retreating again. "Show me what you want, Amber," he said softly, his eyes piercing into her own. 

Amy threw caution to the wind and opened her legs, settling them on either side of him and straddling his hips, his arousal pressing up against the juncture of her thighs. She gasped at how intimate it felt and looked at him with wide eyes. His brows were drawn down in concentration and his jaw was clenched, his breathing coming hard through his nostrils. She bit her lip at how tense he looked and moved her hips back and forth once to experiment. His eyes shot open and he looked at her in amazement, his flesh swelling even more as he felt her heat seeping through to him. "Goddamn it, darlin', I'm gonna cum in my pants if you keep that up," he said, making her blush again. He grinned at her. "What's wrong?" 

"I forgot how blunt you are," she murmured, trying not to go even redder. 

"Well, hell, yeah I'm blunt darlin'. There's one particular part of me that's very blunt, and it's looking for a home right now, so you best keep those sexy little hips still." 

Amy lost her battle not to go a fiery red and she laid down on top of him, pressing her face into his shoulder as he laughed. "Coward," he growled at her, kissing her head and then rolling so she was laying next to him and not over him. When she looked at him in surprise he ran his finger over her lips, smiling with pure happiness. "Not yet, baby, but soon." 

She looked flatteringly disappointed and his smile turned into a grin and then he laughed, hugging her to him. "What's so funny?" she asked, leaning up on one elbow to look at him. 

"Ain't nothing funny, darlin', I'm just happy that's all," he said, finding it hard to get the smile off his face. "It's been too long since I was with you, and I've hated it. Now I've got you in my arms I've got everything in the world to smile for." 

Amy found herself smiling back at him, and she took advantage of having the freedom to touch him, running her palm down the side of his firm jaw and then under his chin, her fingers tickling through his goatee. Mark closed his eyes and turned his face into her touch, letting her know without words that he liked it, so she continued tracing his features. Her fingers walked their way over his nose and across his closed eyelids, smoothing out the eyebrows that could look so fierce when he frowned. She lifted her other hand and closed them both around the sides of his face, holding it as she lowered her mouth and kissed his beautiful lips, feeling him respond immediately. As soon as his arms started to enclose her she let her hands roam down to his neck, then further into the opening where his shirt was unbuttoned down to his chest. The feel of his skin was electrifying to her starved senses and she brushed across his chest until she found a nipple, toying with it lightly and feeling him squirm underneath her. 

He broke the kiss and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Enjoying yourself?" 

"As a matter of fact, I am. Oh, Mark you feel so...." she broke off and frowned as her hand went under his arm. "Where's all the hair gone?" she asked, looking really confused. 

Mark chuckled at this and pulled her up the bed with him, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. "I shaved it off," he said, watching as the confusion got worse. 

"Why?" 

"It looks better in the ring, and in publicity photos, that's why. I'd let it grow back a few weeks ago, but I decided to get rid of it again," he explained. 

"I like the hair," she said, her hand flattening on his smooth chest. 

She looked so disappointed that his chest and underarms were smooth, that he couldn't help laughing, earning himself a glare. "Okay, darlin', for you I'll grow it back," he said, cupping her face in one big palm. 

"Really? And you'll keep it?" she asked, looking inordinately pleased that he would do something like that for her, no matter how small a gesture. 

"Really, and yes I'll keep it if it means you'll like touching it all the time," he said, raising his eyebrows. "Now I think we should make ourselves look a bit more presentable and get downstairs, otherwise we'll be missed." 

"Do we have to?" she murmured, looking at his mouth again. 

"Yes we do. Come on, ya little hussy, get your ass moving!" he said, slapping her backside sharply and moving her off the bed with such speed that she found herself standing up before she knew what had happened. "Now then, darlin'," he murmured, starting to remove his shirt before her wide eyes, "I'm gonna change into something dark and forbidding. Want to watch?" 

She nodded and then watched in fascination as he stripped down to his boxers, her eyes taking in his huge arms with their multitude of tattoos with extreme pleasure, and he rummaged in his bag for a fresh outfit, donning jeans and a smart shirt, all black. He looked at her once he was done. "How about you? You wearing that?" he gestured to her own jeans and T-shirt, and she shook her head. 

"I've got a dress to wear," she said, opening the wardrobe and pulling out a dark green dress in a beautiful flowing fabric. Mark took it from her and laid it on the bed, looking gleeful. 

"Well, then, I'd better help you put it on hadn't I?" he said, his hands going to her waist and undoing her jeans before sliding them slowly down her legs. "Lift up," he murmured as he grasped one ankle and she lifted her feet out of the denim, letting him throw them on the floor. He took his time standing back up, running his hands up the backs of legs as he did so and making her tremble, a smile touching his mouth as he looked at her plain underwear. When he started to lift her T-shirt up she jerked, hesitantly stopping his hands. 

Mark knew why she was doing it and he took her hands in his, kissing both of them. "I have to see it sometime, darlin', may as well be now," he said gently, lowering her hands and resuming his task. He pulled the shirt slowly up and over her head, then looked at where she had been stabbed. There was an ugly scar where the knife had gone in, but it was already fading and it was only small. The worst scar was the one where she had been operated on, curving around her ribcage and upwards slightly. But it was neat and had healed up well, by the looks of it, only being slightly red now. He could see how self-conscious she was about them and he dropped to his knees, leaning in and kissing them to show her they didn't bother him one bit. When he stood up again she had tears in her eyes and he smiled tenderly at her. "None of that, my baby, we can't have you looking like a rainy day when we go downstairs, can we?" 

"I don't deserve you," she said tearfully, throwing her arms tightly around his waist and squeezing. 

Mark chuckled and squeezed her right back, his emotions clogging his throat again. "Baby, I'm the one who doesn't deserve someone as lovely as you, but I'm gonna do my damnedest to earn that honour, I swear to God I am!" he said fiercely, bending over her body and soaking up her warmth. He pulled himself together with some difficulty, showing strong emotions not coming easily to him. "Let's get you dressed before I do something that will make us really late for dinner," he muttered, grabbing the dress and slipping it over her head. The soft material fell down over her body, hugging her curves and swirling around her legs mid-calf, the neckline curving down to show her cleavage. Mark's mouth went dry as he looked at her, wondering why he hadn't thought of buying her a hundred dresses before, just so he could see her like this. "You look beautiful," he said softly, and she smiled up at him, turning around and presenting him with her bare back. It took him a second to realise she wanted him to zip her up, and after two fumbling attempts he managed it. 

"Are you okay?" she asked, worried because he looked really odd. 

"I'm...fine," he faltered, his eyes drawn to her cleavage and he cleared his throat. "I don't know how I'm going to get through this week without throwing you down and burying myself in you, but I'm fine." Her mouth dropped open at his words and he smiled down at her. "I think that in the time it takes to walk downstairs, my body should have calmed down enough that I don't show myself up in front of my friends," he murmured, and she automatically looked down. 

"Oh!" she said, tearing her eyes away and looking up at him. "Sorry." 

"Hell, don't be sorry, darlin'. It hasn't done that for six weeks, and now it's done it twice in as many minutes, it's nice to know it still works," he said, grinning as he led her out of the room. 

He gave a sigh of relief when they reached the dining room and his theory was proved right and no-one noticed anything unusual about his appearance. 


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter thirty-one 

The next day Amy reluctantly went shopping with Linda and Stephanie, the two women having to virtually carry her out of the house to get her away from Mark. As soon as the women were out of the door, Vince went to the window and watched them drive away, rubbing his hands together and then calling the caterers. He had arranged this party right down to the last detail and he could have it up and running in less than two hours, which was how long Linda promised to keep Amy away. So far they had managed to keep any hint of it from her, and he couldn't wait to see her face when she walked back into the house. He called all of the others together and they went about decorating the place, doing their best to stick to Linda's strict rules about where everything should go. 

Glenn and Tammy found themselves decorating a huge Christmas Tree and he grinned at absurdity of the task. 

"What's funny?" Tammy asked him, unable to help herself from smiling at the big grin he wore. 

"It just seems weird doing this in the middle of February," he said, turning to look at her and instantly stopping what he was doing so he could grab her around the waist and lift her up to eye level with him. 

"Glenn, put me down!" she said, slapping his shoulder and laughing at his intent expression. 

"Stop attacking me, woman!" he growled, quickly walking to the couch and throwing her onto it, then immediately coming down on top of her, his hands searching out all her ticklish spots. 

"Glenn...stop it! Oh...you are so going to get it...!" she shrieked as he tickled her mercilessly, her eyes filling with tears of laughter as she squirmed underneath him. 

"Well, that's the strangest way of decorating a tree that I've ever seen," Vince said dryly, standing just inside the doorway of the huge room with his arms folded over his chest. Glenn looked back over his shoulder and gave a winning smile when he saw Vince and Kevin standing there, Kevin laughing his head off and pulling faces. Vince looked at him and rolled his eyes. "It's like having a house full of children! Get off her and get on with your job, we haven't got that long until they come back. Move!" 

He waited only long enough to ensure that Glenn did as he was told, then walked out of the room shaking his head and already thinking about what else had to be done. 

Linda and Stephanie, meanwhile, were dragging Amy around every store they could find, all of them fairly exclusive and beyond Amy's price range. But she had to admit that the clothes were lovely, even if she had no idea why she had to come shopping in the first place. 

"Right, remember how I said you didn't have a nice party dress yet? A nice long one? Well, we thought we could get that today, along with some shoes....and maybe some new underwear to match," Linda said, smiling. 

"Oh..okay," Amy said hesitantly. "But I don't really need a formal gown, not really. Well, not unless Vince is planning on having a Ball or something." 

"That's just it," Stephanie said, smoothly intervening before her mother had even though of something to say. "Dad tends to get an idea in his head on the spur of the moment and organises a huge party. So you have to be prepared. Come on, I think something in blue would suit you." 

Some time later, Amy found herself standing in front of a mirror, while a saleslady fussed around her adding the finishing touches to her outfit. She honestly couldn't believe it was her that stared back from the mirror. Her figure was encased in a rich, satin dress, the long skirt hugging her hips before flaring out to fall in soft waves around her ankles. The colour was an iridescent blue/green, that brought out the colour of her eyes and added a creaminess to her complexion with the blue. The bodice cutting straight across her chest and showing only a hint of cleavage, with no straps. It didn't show a lot of flesh, but with her hair swept up away from her neck and shoulders, it looked undeniably sexy. Barefoot the dress would have been too long for her, but she was balancing on three inch stiletto heeled strappy sandals, also in the same blue/green. Underneath the dress she had on a pair of very sexy, lacy blue panties, something she wouldn't have chosen for herself, but Stephanie had picked them out. A matching bra was added to it, although she couldn't wear it with this dress and anyway, the bodice was cut in such a way that she was pushed up and in and accentuated in all the places necessary. To her eyes her breasts looked huge underneath the material, but she supposed it was probably just the way they were pushed up. She wondered how Mark would react when he saw it, and then realised he wouldn't see it until Vince had a party, and that might be ages away yet. 

Linda and Stephanie stood behind her, Linda looking like she was going to cry. "Oh, my, you look lovely," she said, looking her up and down. 

"You sure do," Stephanie agreed, grinning at Amy's stunned expression. "Come on, let's pay for this lot and get you home, I'm sure Mark's impatient to see you. After all, you've been away from him for nearly two hours!" she added, rolling her eyes. 

"Yeah, and there's no-one you want to see then? No-one you spoke to all through dinner last night, not even sparing one word for anyone else?" Amy said, watching as Stephanie blushed. 

"Well, maybe," the older girl admitted, then grinned. "He's really nice, I think he might like me too!" 

"I think so too, if the way he was looking at you last night is anything to go by," Amy said, laughing at Stephanie's hopeful expression. 

She was ushered out of the store once the purchases were made, back in her normal clothes, and they drove back home. Amy noticed that Linda and Stephanie seemed a bit excited about something, but she didn't really think too much of it. Not until they arrived back. 

They made sure Amy went inside first, and when she looked up she dropped all her bags and stared open-mouthed at the hallway. There were streamers and ribbons everywhere and a big banner reading 'Merry Christmas' hanging above it all. Her eyes sought out Vince, unable to believe what she was seeing, and he came over to her, grinning from ear to ear as he bent down and embraced her in a bear hug. 

"Merry Christmas Peaches," he said in her ear, drawing back and laughing at her stunned expression. 

"You did this...for...for me?" she stammered, biting her lip when he nodded and emotion flooded her. "Thank you so much!" she said, flinging herself back at Vince and hugging him tightly. 

"Hey, don't thank me yet. We have Christmas dinner to come, and presents, then maybe a bit of dancing, who knows?"  
She pulled slowly back from him, her eyes trying to take it all in. "I can't believe you did this," she said breathlessly. 

"He had help, you know," Mark said from behind her. "Don't go neglecting me!" 

She turned around and jumped up to throw her arms around his neck, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him dressed in a tuxedo. "You look gorgeous," she said as he lifted her off her feet and pressed her to his warm body. 

"That's not something you say to a man, honey. Handsome, rugged....smart...sexy, any of those things, Gorgeous is for girls!" he grumbled, but he was grinning. 

"But you do," she insisted, staring at his mouth for a second before stealing a kiss. 

His eyebrows raised at her bravado in front of the others, and his grin widened. "Well, I guess you can pretty much call me whatever you like, you sexy little thing! Now, go get dressed and we'll get this Christmas underway!" He dropped a kiss on her mouth and lowered her to her feet, watching as Stephanie and Linda instantly took her away, Tammy rushing up the stairs after the, 

Amy noticed belatedly that all of them were wearing tuxedos, including Vince, and she suddenly realised why she had been taken shopping. The thought of being able to wear her lovely dress in front of Mark so soon made her smile. Tammy was wearing a deep gold dress with a plunging neckline that accentuated all her assets, and she came rushing in to Amy's room to help her put her hair up and do her make-up, full of chatter about how Glenn's eyes had nearly bugged out of his head when he had first seen her in the getup. When she had finished with her, Amy stood in front of her mirror and bit her lip, hoping Mark would like what he saw. 

"You look absolutely fantastic," Tammy said, laughing. "Mark's going to have a real problem keeping the others away from you today, even if they do have dates." 

"They have dates?" Amy asked, not having seen any women in the hallway. 

Tammy nodded, rolling her eyes. "Well, you know what charmers Shane and Kevin can be when they put their minds to it? They went over to the hospital where they'd seen a couple of cute nurses and they managed to get a few of them to come here today." 

"Have they all got dates then?" Amy asked, wondering if Paul Wight had been set up with anyone. 

"No, not all. There's only three girls, and Shane and Kevin have claimed two of them. That leaves Paul Wight, Paul Levesque and Brock to fight over her. Eric Bischoff is married, so he shouldn't be wanting a date!" 

Amy nodded and smiled. Good. That meant that Stephanie could get hold of Paul Wight before one of the nurses did. She followed Tammy out of the room and saw Stephanie and Linda both standing waiting to go downstairs, each of them wearing a very expensive designer gown and looking lovely. Stephanie had chosen a wine coloured silk dress, and she was obviously going all out to attract Paul's attention judging by the amount of cleavage she was showing. 

They all walked downstairs together, not intending to make any grand entrance and anyway, the only people to greet them were Mark and Vince. But the look in Mark's eyes when he saw Amy was worth all the effort she had gone to. His face went still and his mouth dropped open as he looked at her, running his eyes up and down her figure as if he couldn't believe it was really her. She smiled at him shyly as she got within a few steps up from him, actually on a level with him for once, and he reached for her, lifting her toward him and taking her mouth in a passionate kiss that had her blushing with embarrassment when he stopped, knowing the others were looking at them. "My God, you constantly surprise me, do you know that?" he whispered as he drew back. "I didn't think it was possible for you to look sexier than you do naked, but I was wrong all the way around with that one!" 

His voice was so low that no-one else could possibly hear him, but Amy felt herself go crimson, causing Mark to chuckle as he slowly put her down. "My lady?" he said, bending slightly and offering her his arm, and she felt tingles run up and down her spine at his possessive attitude and the way he was treating her. She felt as if she were something precious to him, and it was a feeling she loved. 

When they entered the vast dining room, Amy gasped with delight at the huge Christmas tree that took up one side of the room. It was a little haphazardly decorated, but otherwise stunning, and she found everyone else in the room, all standing having drinks around a beautifully arranged table. If she could have pulled a picture out of a magazine of how Christmas should be, her perfect Christmas no less, then this would be it. She couldn't stop the excitement from shining in her face and to Mark she looked radiant. He grinned at her and pulled her closer to him with one big arm. 

Paul Levesque and Shane greeted her briefly then went back to charming the two nurses that Shane had appropriated from the hospital, one of whom Amy vaguely recognised from when she had been there. Another girl was standing looking threatened as Kevin Nash loomed over her, and obviously his charm wasn't helping him out this time. Her dark eyes kept looking up at him as if he weren't real and then flicking away, and she was nervously tugging at a lock of her hair. The fact that Brock Lesnar was hovering nearby probably wasn't helping her composure any and Amy felt a little sorry for her. It reminded her of how she had felt when she first met all these men, and of how she still felt when surrounded by a lot of them. She made a mental note to talk to the girl as soon as she could, try and put her at ease a bit, provided Mark let her go anywhere away from him. He had her anchored securely at his side, and she found it amusing and strangely comforting. Her face went briefly serious as she stared at him in his tuxedo, and she wondered if her mouth was going to start watering, he looked so good. He glanced down at her and caught that look, raising an eyebrow. "Somethin' wrong darlin'?" he drawled, well aware that she liked what she saw. 

"You're really sexy," she blurted out, thankfully in a quiet voice and both his eyebrows shot up over his glittering green eyes. 

"Better watch what you say, sweetheart. It wouldn't take much for me to drag you out of here and up those stairs, you know," he said deeply, his eyes conveying his seriousness. 

"I wouldn't mind," she admitted, smiling wickedly at him and getting a glare in return. 

"I bet you wouldn't, but you ain't having me. I'm not that sort of man," he told her, thinning his lips in mock disgust and letting go of her to fold his arms over his chest. 

She shrugged and tried for an air of nonchalance. "Your loss. Well, if I can't have you I guess I'll just go and talk to Kevin." 

He let her take two steps before his arm shot out and pulled her back to him, his voice a growl as he bent down to her ear. "Try it and I'll take you right here on the floor in front of everybody." 

Amy gasped and then giggled, making him smile. "I thought you weren't that sort of man?" 

"Maybe I changed my mind," he told her, chuckling. 

"Maybe you're a big fat liar, too," she shot back, smiling up at him with such emotion that he could barely tear his eyes away from hers. Vince's voice soon made him look up. 

"That's not a nice way to talk to someone on Christmas day, Peaches," he said, one arm around Linda and the other holding a glass of wine out to Amy. 

She took it with a smile and sipped slowly, surprised to find it tasted quite nice. "Thank you, but it's not Christmas day," she said. 

"It is for you, honey. Now, since it's your day, what would you like to do first, have dinner or open presents?" he asked. 

She thought about it and looked up at Mark, laughing when he comically clutched his stomach as if he hadn't eaten for a week. "Okay, okay, dinner first!" 

For the next two hours Amy enjoyed the only real Christmas she had ever had. The meal was expertly prepared by the caterers, with all the trimmings. Vince had even gone to the trouble of making sure she had everything that an English Christmas dinner would have on it, and she thoroughly enjoyed every morsel. The noise volume around the table increased as time went on, but it only added to the atmosphere. It was nice to see the people she had become so close to having fun, and it aided her own pleasure in the process. It took some time, but when at last no-one could eat another thing, they all left the table and Vince started pulling out the gifts that were under the tree, handing them to the appropriate person. Amy wasn't surprised that everyone there got a present, because Vince was like that, he always made sure that no-one felt left out. 

The gifts Amy had bought for people were opened and she blushed as effusive thanks were thrown her way. She had taken her time over getting them all something, and she had made sure it was something they would definitely like, no matter how difficult that had been. Her own gifts piled up and she couldn't believe the amount of things she got, not used to being given anything at all. Then it was Mark's turn and she turned apprehensive eyes to him, wondering if he'd like what she'd bought him. In turn he had handed her a small package. 

"How about we open them at the same time?" he asked, and she nodded. 

She watched for a second as he started opening the small gift and then she started on hers, peeling back the paper to reveal a small velvet jewellery box. Her eyebrows creased in a frown. He couldn't have got her the same thing she got him, could he? When she opened it she found a simple gold ring with a large emerald in the middle of it, not overly large and not ornately decorated. Just simple. But she thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 

Mark smiled in surprise when he found a jewellery box too, but when he opened it his smile disappeared to be replaced by amazement. She had bought him a ring too, a ring that was fashioned into a golden skull with two emeralds as eyes and a ruby snake wrapped around it. Amy looked up to thank him for his gift and became worried when she saw his face. 

"Don't...don't you like it?" she asked. 

Mark's eyes lifted from the ring and he looked at her so intensely she felt her face heat up. "It's perfect, I love it. Where the hell did you find a ring like this?" he asked, still looking and sounding amazed. 

"I saw one similar in a jewellery store, with a wolfs head? They made it themselves and I asked if they could make one with a skull, for you, because I know you like skulls," she said, shrugging as if it was nothing. 

"And the eyes? Why emeralds darlin'?" 

"Because...because that's what your eyes are like and the ruby snake is your hair...I guess that sounds stupid," she finished, feeling worried again. 

"God, no that doesn't sound stupid. You know why you've got an emerald ring? Because you're eyes look like emeralds to me," he said, tilting her chin up when she tried to look away from his intense stare. "If I'd thought about it I would have gone to more trouble over your gift." 

"No!" she said suddenly. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, I love it! I wouldn't want you to change it for anything in the world!" She took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her right hand, holding it up to gaze at it. "It's so lovely." 

Mark smiled slowly. "You're lovely, the ring's just an ornament." He took his own ring and put it on, admiring it. He didn't wear much jewellery as a rule, but this looked good he had to admit. His eyes lifted to Amy's and he grinned wolfishly, lifting her suddenly and placing her on his lap, totally ignorant of the people in the room. "You wouldn't believe the amount of money I'd give to have you at home with me in Texas," he said roughly, pulling her against him so he could wrap his arms around her. He looked at her red face and his grin got bigger. "Amber Travis McMahon, are you getting shy on me?" he asked deeply, grinning at her confused face and then looking up. 

"McMahon? But my name isn't..." 

"Oh yes it is," Vince said, moving to stand next to her chair and handing her an envelope. "I started this up before...well, before you were in hospital. As long as you don't have any complaints, Peaches, you're now legally my daughter." 

Amy found she couldn't speak as she looked at the contents of the envelope and found that Vince and Linda had actually adopted her! Her shocked mind couldn't quite take it all in and she looked dumbly at the papers she held, her mouth hanging open. She hadn't even known that an adult could be adopted. But she had always wished that Vince was her real father, and now he was. She looked up at him and then burst into tears, unable to find any other way of releasing her emotions and he crouched down and drew her off Mark's lap and into his arms, laughing as she cried all over his tux. "I assume that means you don't mind?" he asked her. 

"I love you Vince, I'd be happy to be your daughter," she said, her voice muffled as she pulled herself together. 

He kissed her head and pushed her back a bit so he could see her face. "I love you too, Peaches, and you might think about calling me Dad one of these days. I'd really love that," he said, looking very proud of himself. 

"Okay," she whispered, not saying it just yet as she wanted to get used to the idea. 

"Good. Now I think someone else is waiting on you," he said with a raised eyebrow, nodding towards Mark who was sitting there with his arms open waiting for her to return, his face impatient but comical enough to make her give a watery smile. She tried to think if she had ever been this happy in her entire life, and decided she hadn't. She just hoped all the bad things were behind her now and that this wasn't just a flash in the pan. 

_****Author's note:- Okay, so adult adoption probably doesn't exist....but hey, this is fiction!! Then there's Stephanie and Big Show....I don't know why that suddenly happened, but it made sense at the time!!!****_


	32. Chapter 32

_****Sorry this has taken so long to post. The powerpack on my computer decided to melt yesterday and I went into a total panic because I couldn't add to my writing! Luckily, even in this tiny village in France, there's a little man who sells second hand computer parts, and he had one! 45euros later and the computer is up and running again! Yay!****_

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Chapter thirty-two 

The rest of the evening went by in a blur to Amy. Stephanie and Shane both told her how glad they were that she was now legally part of the family and it put her mind at rest, because she had wondered how they would take this news. But she needn't have worried. Vince would never leave anything as important as this half done, and he had already spoken to his two children before he had even started it off. They regarded Amy as a sister anyway, so they had been happy about what he was doing. 

Mark wouldn't leave her alone and she found herself sitting on his lap for the majority of the time, the rest of it dancing with him to the slow music. When Kevin had tried to interrupt for a dance, Mark had nearly bitten his head off and the other man had just held his hands up, grinning wickedly. The only other people she had been permitted to dance with had been Vince and Shane, and they had both tried to teach her how to waltz, something she didn't think she'd ever get the hang of. Still, it had been fun. 

When her eyelids started to droop sometime after midnight, Mark scooped her up in his arms and smiled at Vince. "Seems your new daughter here isn't quite as recovered as she thought," he said, giving her a disgusted look. "And she should have told me she felt tired." 

"I'm not that tired," she protested, glancing at him and then Vince, smiling as she looked at the older man. "Thank you for my party, I really loved it."  
Vince leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, one hand smoothing her hair. "You're very welcome." He looked at Mark and narrowed his eyes. "I guess I should let you go. Just remember what I said, okay?" 

Mark rolled his eyes. "As if I could forget." 

"As if I'd let you forget," Vince shot back, smiling. "You just take care of my baby here, okay?"  
"You don't have to worry about that," Mark murmured, looking at the way Amy lay so trustingly in his arms, her big eyes riveted to his. "Say goodnight to everyone, honey."  
"Goodnight," she called out obediently and instantly got a chorus of the same shouted back at her. Mark didn't give her a chance to walk around and say goodnight individually before he carried her out of the room and up the stairs, a smile relaxing his features whenever he looked at her. 

"You look so beautiful tonight sweetheart," he said as he put her down in her room, holding her in front of him as his eyes went up and down her figure. "If only we were alone."  
Amy smiled up at him. "What would you do?" 

"Hmm, what wouldn't I do?" he murmured, pulling her against him and running his hands down her back until he felt the zipper of the dress and started to pull it down. "First I'd undress you," he said deeply, slowly starting to pull the dress away from her as he spoke. 

Amy clutched at the front of it, shy with him still, but he grinned and kissed her hands, pulling them away from the material so he could remove it. His eyes followed the descent of the dress and he caught his breath as she was slowly uncovered, the fact that she only wore the sexy lace panties making his body lurch uncontrollably. "My God," he said reverently as he stared at the perfection of her breasts, his hands spanning her waist and then running upwards so he could touch the underside of the firm flesh. "I'm not sure I can keep my promise to Vince," he admitted, his eyes shooting to hers as he drew in a huge lungful of air. "We have to cover you up....and quickly," he said, turning away and grabbing her robe so he could wrap it around her tempting body. 

"What's wrong?" Amy asked, confused by his actions when she had thought he might make love to her. She was certainly ready for him to make love to her. 

"Honey, I made a promise to Vince that I wouldn't do anything with you whilst we were under his roof, and I don't take my promises lightly. But God, if I see you naked one more time, I might just break it. I want you like hell on fire, little girl," he said gruffly, his eyes sparkling with his desire. 

"You do?" she asked, smiling again. 

He pulled her flush against him and groaned as he felt his hard flesh press into her belly. "Feel that? Oh, yeah, I want you alright." 

"I wouldn't mind," she said, running her hands slowly up his shirt until she reached his bow tie, and she untied it so she could get to his shirt buttons. 

He gave a wry smile and closed his arms around her body. "Hell, darlin', I'm sure you wouldn't. But a promise is a promise, no matter how hard it is to keep....no pun intended." 

Amy groaned and rested her head on his chest, her fingers still busy slipping buttons from buttonholes. "Why did you have to make such a stupid promise then?" 

Mark chuckled as he held her tighter. "Right at this moment, Scarlet, I haven't got the faintest idea. Come on," he said, drawing away slightly and stilling her fingers, "you're tired. We'll get in bed and just hold each other." 

"Is that all?" she grumbled, letting him tug her over to the bed. Her eyes lit up and she stared up at him. "Did you promise anything else?" 

Marks eyes narrowed. "Like what? What devious little plan are you thinking up?"  
She grinned at his expression and started on his shirt again, tugging the material out of the waistband of his black pants. "You didn't promise we wouldn't fool around did you? You didn't promise you wouldn't kiss me did you?" 

He grinned down at her and then started laughing. "Baby, you're insatiable, and you don't even know what it's all about yet. I can't wait to find out what you'll be like once you know the ropes, so to speak." 

Her teeth caught her lower lip as she concentrated on her task, parting the edges of the shirt so she could gaze with awe at his huge chest. "So...you didn't promise anything else?" 

"Well, no baby, I didn't make any other promises. Why? You want to fool around a little then?" he asked with a lazy grin, the way he looked at her making her toes curl. 

"Only if you want to," she replied. 

Mark picked her up and laid her carefully on the bed, coming down next to her and lowering his head to hers. "Ask me that in half an hour," he said against her lips, before he claimed them and made her forget what it was she was supposed to ask. 

**** 

The rest of the week passed by swiftly and before she knew it, Amy found herself getting a huge hug from Vince as she stood outside with her suitcase waiting to leave and catch a plane to Texas with Mark. A limo was standing by for them, something Vince had insisted on. 

"Don't take any shit from him, Peaches, and don't do anything you don't want to do, okay?" he said as he squeezed her, his worry for her evident. 

"I won't. I'll be fine Vin....Dad," she said shyly. 

Vince pulled back and stared at her with his mouth hanging open, then a huge grin split his face and he laughed. "That sounds real good," he said in amazement and hugged her again, chuckling. "You just make sure you call me that all the time from now on, okay?" 

"Okay," she said, smiling as she felt the warmth from his embrace. She really felt like she had a family now. 

"And you have to call me Mom you know," Linda said from behind her, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "If you want to that is." 

Amy turned from Vince and gave Linda a hug. "I'd love that. But sometimes I might say Mum instead...it's a hard habit to break," she admitted. 

"Well, you _are_ English, so I guess that's okay. I can get used to it, if you can get used to saying it," Linda told her, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I always wanted another daughter. Shame we didn't have you here years ago then maybe Steph wouldn't be so spoilt now!" 

"I am not spoilt!" Stephanie complained, standing next to Paul Wight and trying to look angry. 

Amy laughed and gave her a hug too, smiling up at Paul as she did so. "I'll miss you." 

"You too, sis," Steph said. 

"Well, you don't have to miss her too much," Mark put in. "You can come out and stay for a week or so if you like, when you're free." 

"That would be great!" the older girl said and gave Mark a hug as well, beaming. "I'm not free for a couple of weeks, but after that I'd love to come if it's okay? Plus the company are due over in Texas soon anyway." 

"I just said so didn't I?" Mark said, pulling Amy towards him and putting one arm around her possessively. "You can bring someone with you if you like. Anyone at all," he added, looking at Paul and winking. 

Stephanie gave him an embarrassed glare and then looked away. "Er...no, I'll probably just make my way out there alone."  
Mark hid his reaction well, but he couldn't help glancing at Paul, finding the big man looking at Stephanie with surprise, and undeniable interest. Amy nudged Mark in the ribs and drew his attention away from the other couple. They said some more goodbyes, Kevin Nash and Glenn promising to come out and see them, then Mark bundled her into the car and closed them inside, relaxing back with a sigh when they drove away. 

"I should smack you for stirring things up for Stephanie and Paul!" Amy told him, elbowing him gently in the ribs. 

"What did I do?" he asked in surprise, raising his eyebrows. 

"Stephanie hasn't let Paul know she likes him yet, although she's tried showing it. But he's acting all dense. He likes her and he seems to be shy, can you believe that?" Amy asked, shaking her head. 

"I don't think he's shy, exactly, just not the devilish ladies man that I am," Mark said, flashing her a grin and pulling her onto his lap. 

"Hmm, devilish is right anyway," she said, giggling when he gave her his full on Undertaker glare. "Ooooh, I'm so scared!" she said, laughing harder when he put his arms around her and nearly crushed her. 

"Ya damn well should be!" he growled, taking her mouth in a kiss that let her know exactly how frustrated he had become whilst under Vince's watchful eye. "You wait until I get you home!" 

She leaned away from him and pursed her lips. "You keep saying that, but I think it's going to be a big disappointment. You'll probably just slip on an old robe and sit there with a pipe and slippers reading a newspaper and calling out for coffee every half an hour!" 

"That ain't true and I can prove it," he growled, pulling her back towards him and nuzzling her neck, making her shiver instantly when he attacked her with his teeth. "See?" he said, his voice muffled, "that isn't boring is it?" 

Amy smiled and snuggled against him, closing her eyes. "You'll have to do better than that," she said, grinning at him when his head shot up and he stared at her. 

"You're getting all brave darlin', but you better watch your step. You sure you can handle me?" 

She bit her lip as she stared at his glittering eyes. "I'm sure I can try." 

"Hmm, you'd better be sure, darlin', because you ain't getting no choice in the matter anyway. Now move those lips a bit closer," he said, urging her head towards his and flicking his tongue out to touch her bottom lip. "That's better. Show me how much you worship me." 

Amy raised an eyebrow, mimicking him. "Worship? Who said I worship you?" 

"Just a lucky guess," he murmured, grinning wickedly at her, his eyes boring into hers. "Come on, we haven't got all day you know." 

"Well, if I have to..." she said and pressed her lips to his, initiating a kiss that left them both breathless. 

A few hours later they were sitting on the plane as it landed in Houston, and Amy was surprised to find Mark getting all excited about having her on his home turf. He seemed younger. 

"How far is it to your house?" she asked him as they disembarked, his big hand wrapped firmly around hers as he led the way out of the airport. 

"Not far, about thirty minutes by car. I can't wait to show you my home!" he said, grinning at her, his eyes sparkling. 

"I sort of got that idea," she said, laughing as he glared at her with pursed lips. 

"God, you've changed," he said suddenly, looking at her intently and smiling. 

"I guess I have. It's all down to you and Vince you know," she said, thinking of how timid she had been only a few short weeks ago, and of how much she had blossomed since she had gone to live with her godfather. Her father, she corrected in her mind, her smile getting bigger as she thought of that. "I'm really lucky."  
"I'm glad you realise it," he said arrogantly, leading her to a rental car and seeing her safely inside. "Most women would give their souls to be with someone as dynamic and wonderful as me," he added as he slid behind the wheel and smiled at her. 

"Funny how I haven't had to fight them all off, isn't it?" she mused, looking out of the windows as if to say 'where are they all'. 

"Ha ha," he said dryly. "Now I'm gonna make you wait to get hold of my naked body!" 

She plastered a repentant look on her face. "How long will I have to wait?" 

"Until I think you worship me enough to have me, then maybe - and only maybe- I'll let you," he murmured, starting the car and driving away from the airport. 


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter thirty-three 

Amy watched out of the window as they drove, fascinated by the difference between here and Connecticut and already trying to imagine what Mark's house would be like. It was warmer here, even though it was only February, but Mark had warned her to pack warm clothes as it could get bitterly cold at night, and the sun was already starting to set. She listened raptly as Mark started talking about the surrounding area and pointed out different things of interest. She had lived in San Antonio herself, but she hadn't stayed there long and had never really been out to explore her surrounds, so it was all like looking at Texas through new eyes. 

By the time they entered a wide driveway that seemed to go on for miles, Amy was feeling a little apprehensive. She had dreamed about being alone with Mark for ages now, but now she actually was she felt a bit nervous about what was to come. Not that she thought he would hurt her, not if he could help it, but she knew that whatever he started this time, he wouldn't stop. She bit her lip as she looked at him, her eyes going to his huge body and imagining it covering hers, and she felt her face heat at the stark images this conjured up. 

Mark turned to look at her briefly, and he gave a confused smile. "What's all that colour for, darlin'?" 

"Er...nothing," she said and cleared her throat, looking out of the window to see a beautiful sprawling ranch house coming into view. It was made of various misshapen stone blocks and huge timber beams, all built up to form a solid structure that looked like it had been standing since the civil war. "Oh Mark, it's beautiful," she said in a hushed whisper, her eyes taking in the surrounding fields. She could see cows far in the distance and what appeared to be a lake of some sort closer to the house. Everywhere she looked there were trees. She had expected it to be a barren landscape, but this was breathtaking. Barns were visible in the distance along with another house, and she pointed to it as Mark parked the car. "What's that house over there?" 

"That's where the people who run this place live," he explained, getting out of the car and coming around to open her door and get her out too. "You remember I said it was a working ranch? Well, I make some money from this operation, but it's only small. Most of the profits go to Sam and Rachel because they keep the place going, and I sort of like it like this. I don't know I'd have the patience to run it myself. The cattle over there are mine and so is pretty much all the land you can see. We can explore it all tomorrow, but for now, let me show you my home." 

He took her hand and tugged her along onto the wide porch that ran all the way around the building, opening the big front door and pulling her inside. Amy looked around her and her eyes widened in amazement. Everything was made of wood by he looks of it. The floors were polished oak, as was the staircase, the panelled walls, all the doors and the furniture that was scattered around the enormous hallway. The rooms that led off the large space also had heavy wooden furniture in them. It was very obviously done to a masculine taste, but it wasn't overbearing by any means, and she loved it on sight. She let Mark take her from room to room, her smile turning into a grin when she saw the kitchen and all it's ultra modern accessories. She knew she would love cooking in this room and she was already planning meals that would tempt Mark. There was a study which was even more overtly masculine than the rest of the house, a sitting room, a television room and a fully fitted gym. A swimming pool led off from the gym, and a fully fitted bathroom was next door to that. The garden that she could spy out of the windows was well kept and full of blooms of various sorts and she couldn't wait to go outside and have a look, but Mark quickly had her walking up the stairs in front of him so he could show her the bedrooms. 

There were several guest rooms, all decorated in keeping with the style of the house and all with small en-suite bathrooms. There was a main bathroom and it had a massive Jacuzzi in it, something that Mark planned to get Amy into before her visit was up. The biggest room upstairs was Mark's bedroom, though, and he stood watching her look around the room, interested in how she would like it. She could sense him waiting for her to say something and she turned to him, smiling shyly. "It's such a lovely house," she told him, going into his arms as he held them out to her, his eyes closing as he pulled her against him. 

"Do you think you'll be happy here, sweetheart?" he asked, kissing the top of her head. 

"I think I'm going to love it here," she replied, tilting her head back so she could receive a kiss on the lips when he bent again. 

"And you won't mind staying in this room, with me? I've got lots of closet space for your stuff you know, plus there are spare drawers too," he said, raising his eyebrows. 

"I wouldn't want to stay in any other room," she said, looking at the huge bed that dominated the room. 

"I was worried you wouldn't like it," he admitted, laughing self-consciously. "Most people think my taste is a bit...old fashioned, I guess." 

"I don't, I love all of it. Especially the kitchen! I can't wait to cook in there!" 

"Well, no point in waiting for long, I'm starving and I happen to know that Rachel stocked the refrigerator up. Come on woman," he said, pulling her swiftly out of the room and towards the staircase, "feed me!" 

Amy giggled as he pulled her faster than she could walk and then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, nearly jogging as he went bounding down the stairs. "Put me down, you big moron!" 

He didn't stop until they were in the kitchen, then he dropped her so she was sitting on the counter and put his arms either side of her, leaning in and narrowing his eyes. "What did you call me?" 

"I can't tell you that, you'll just tell me off," she said, still laughing. 

"Yeah, I just might at that. Okay, I'll let you off this time, as long as you feed me," he growled, leaning in to bite her neck. "Better hurry or I'll end up eating you!" 

"Okay!" she squealed, trying to push him away. "I can't feed you unless you let me down from here!" 

He pulled back reluctantly and smiled at her, feeling happier than he had in some time. "I guess I'll have to let you go then, I have to check things out around here anyway. But I won't be gone long and I'll be wanting my dinner when I get back!" 

She saluted him as he lifted her down from the counter and he grinned at her. "Yes, sir! Oh, I can see how it's going to be now...I'm going to be a slave all day in the kitchen and..." 

"And my sex slave at night in the bedroom," he muttered, wiggling his eyebrows at her and making her laugh again. "Right, I'm gonna go down the road and check on Sam, make sure the ranch is all okay. I won't be long, just make yourself at home." 

"Okay," she said, watching him walk out into the hallway. She followed him and tapped him on the back, making him turn around and cock his eyebrow at her. Reaching up on tiptoes, she put her arms around his neck as far as they would go, smiling when he bent down so she could accomplish the task with more ease, and then she placed a soft kiss on his lips. 

"Mmm, what did I do to deserve that?" he asked her, his hands holding her small waist and his thumbs caressing her there. 

"You're going out, that was your goodbye kiss," she said, feeling shy again. 

He grinned suddenly and then laughed. "Oh God, I am gonna enjoy having you here, honey, if this is the way I'll be treated. Give me a proper kiss!" He bent and kissed her deeply, lifting her off the ground and holding her there in the middle of the hallway whilst he ravaged her mouth. When he put her down her legs were so shaky she had to hold onto him for a second and he grinned arrogantly. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna enjoy this a lot!" 

Amy watched him leave the house and then walked back in the kitchen in a daze. She had a feeling the next two months were going to change her life more than she had imagined. 

A short while later she had prepared a lasagne and was putting it in the oven, looking at the clock on the wall. She had nearly an hour now to look around and unpack, something she should have done when she first got here. Mark had put their bags just inside the front door and she lifted her heavy suitcase and started up the stairs, puffing a bit when she got to the top and finally made it into the bedroom. 

Once she had unpacked all her stuff and put it carefully away in the closet, she went back down to get Mark's bags and do the same for him. He had two bags and they were even heavier than hers, but she gamely hoisted them up the stairs and unpacked them, laying everything on the bed in individual piles so she could put them away quicker. It seemed very intimate to be folding his clothes up, especially his underwear, and she found herself holding up a huge pair of boxers and just staring at them, a smile on her face. They were black, like most of his things, but they had little red hearts all over them and she wondered where he had got them from. 

"I told you before, baby, if you want to get into my pants you only have to ask," he said from behind her, and she jumped and swung around to face him, her cheeks heating as she hurriedly dropped his underpants. "What are you doing with my underwear?" 

"I was just putting it away for you," she said, suddenly aware of how much smaller the room seemed with him in it. "Where did you come from?" 

"Scared you did I?" 

"No," she grumbled, turning back to his clothes and taking a pile of his shirts over to the chest of drawers and locating the right one to put them away in. "I thought you'd be gone longer." 

"I've been gone for over an hour, you know," he pointed out, picking up some clothes and helping her put them away. "Thanks for doing this, darlin', I hate unpacking." 

"That's okay, I needed something to do whilst the Lasagne cooks," she said, shrugging. "Mind you, I seriously thought you had rocks in your bag, it was so heavy!" 

Mark frowned as he thought about that. "Yeah, it was heavy, and you carried it upstairs all by yourself didn't you?" 

"Well, yes, there isn't anyone else here," she said, looking up in time to catch his frown. 

"You shouldn't have done that. You ain't strong enough for stuff like that yet, so you ask me next time there's some heavy lifting to be done," he said, folding his arms over his chest. 

Amy looked at him and couldn't help giving a deep bow. "Yes, oh Lord and Master," she intoned deeply, sweeping her arm in front of her. 

Mark laughed at her actions and grabbed her, pulling her against him. "Saucy wench, I shall have to punish you for all of this cheekiness later on, you realise?" 

"You wouldn't punish me would you? Not when I've cooked you such a lovely meal?" 

Mark grinned down at her and squeezed her. "I suppose I could let it pass, just as long as you don't think I'm a soft touch." 

"I don't think that at all. Now carry me downstairs so I can serve you dinner," she said, lifting her arms and waiting until he picked her up. 

He did so instantly and stared at her with faint worry. "You haven't been overdoing it have you?" 

Amy laughed and ran her hand along his jaw. "I'm fine, now, Mark, don't worry about me. I'm fully recovered." 

"Then why did you want me to carry you?" he asked her, looking confused. 

"Because I like it when you carry me," she admitted, shrugging as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

She saw him grin. "Well, that's okay then," he murmured, taking her out of the room and down to the kitchen where wonderful smells were coming from the oven. He set her down and sniffed appreciatively. "Smells good. Is it ready? I'm starving!" 

"You're always starving," she returned, bending and opening the oven so she could check the food. 

They sat down to eat in the kitchen and Mark made sure he told her how good the food was after every mouthful, something that made her smile. She gave a huge yawn after she had finished her own meal, and Mark stood up, scooping her out of her chair. "Come on, bed for you, you're tired." 

"I'm okay," she protested, suddenly nervous about what might happen once they were in bed together. 

Mark noticed her nervousness. "What's wrong honey?" 

She shook her head, biting her lip. "Nothing." 

"Mmm-hmm. It ain't nothing, you've had that same look a few times since we left Vince's. Come on, 'fess up." 

"I...well...I guess I'm scared," she said quietly, shrugging and looking away from him. 

"Scared? What of?" he asked, looking worried as he carried her up the stairs. 

"Er....you know," she said, going scarlet. 

He frowned and then his eyebrows lifted. "Oh. Well, darlin', there ain't any need to be scared." 

"I can't help it," she murmured, feeling as if she was letting him down if she didn't go through with it. In truth she really wanted to sleep with him, but she was just nervous. 

"Listen," he said gently as he laid her down on the bed when they reached the bedroom. "We don't have to do anything at all, not until you're more comfortable with the idea, okay? Tonight we just sleep, God knows I'm tired too, it's been a long day. After that, we'll just take it day by day." 

"But you'll think...you won't think I'm leading you on?" she asked, her voice small and worried as she looked up at him. 

Mark smiled reassuringly. "I won't think any such thing, baby. I know you, I know how that mind works now, and that means I know you wouldn't do anything like that to me. Now let's get ready to sleep...just sleep," he said, starting to strip his clothing off. 

Amy followed suit, getting a night-gown out of the drawer and slipping it over her head, aware of Mark watching her every move. She still found it embarrassing, but his eyes told her he liked what he saw every time he looked at her, and it gave her the strength to undress in front of him. 

He pulled the covers up over her when she had laid down again after a trip to the bathroom, and then he slid in beside her, pulling her into his warm arms and switching the lights off next to the bed. "Relax, honey, and get some rest." 

"Okay," she murmured, turning her face into his shoulder and relishing the feel of his big arm around her. "Night, Mark. Thank you for bringing me here." 

His arms tightened briefly. "You're welcome, honey. Night." 

**** 

The next day he showed her around the ranch and even managed to get her on the back of a horse, laughing ruefully at her terrified posture when she saw how high off the ground she was on the animal. He relaxed her and started to gently walk the horse, getting her used to the feel of it until eventually she started to get the hang of the movement and gained confidence. Her favourite spot was the lake though, and she stood looking at the water for ages, fascinated with the beauty of it. "It's like something out of a fairy-tale," she said to Mark when he moved behind her and pulled her back against him. 

"So are you sweetheart," he whispered, bending to nip playfully at her ear. "Come on, let's go inside and have some lunch." 

After they had eaten Mark sat with her in the television room, holding her on his lap as they watched an old movie. He looked at her, his eyes falling to where she was chewing her lip. He noticed she did that when she was thinking about something, or was nervous about something, and he reached his hand up to pull her lip out from between her teeth. "Something on your mind?" 

She looked at him and bit her lip again, then shook her head and turned back to the screen, her actions making him smile. She was skittish and he wondered why. 

Amy stared blankly at the screen as she tried to think of a way of saying what she had on her mind. She had been thinking about last night all day, and she knew what she wanted to do. Saying it, though, was something else entirely, and she gave a deep sigh at her own cowardice, her body giving a slight shake. 

"What's wrong baby?" he asked softly, feeling the small tremors running through her body where he was holding her to him. She sighed and snuggled deeper into his embrace, not saying a word. "Can't you tell me?" He chuckled when she shook her head, burrowing against him and making his body shudder with unfulfilled needs. "Come on, ya little coward, talk to me." 

"I can't, it's embarrassing," she whispered, closing her eyes and enjoying his warmth. 

"Nothing you say to me should ever embarrass you honey," he murmured, tracing her spine gently with his fingertips. 

"I want..." she began, hesitating then taking a deep breath and continuing before her courage failed her, "I want you to sleep with me. Will you?" she asked, her voice so quiet that he barely heard her. When her words registered he took a shocked breath and she groaned. "See? I've shocked you, I knew it would be embarrassing!" 

She felt his chest rumble under her ear as he laughed. "Honey, I confess I am a little bit shocked, but only because of the way you worded it. You really think we're gonna get any sleep, little girl?" 

"Sleep? Well, no, that wasn't what I had in mind at all," she said, confused. 

"That's how you put it though. You want me to sleep with you? Or do you want me to make love to you?" 

"Oh! Well, I want you to make love to me. But....if you don't want to...I didn't mean to..." she stammered, wondering if she'd made a huge mistake. Mark's mouth cut her off as he bent and kissed her deeply, his tongue shooting past her lips as she opened her mouth on a gasp. 

"Don't want to? Why wouldn't I want to? Unless you've forgotten I've been working up to tearing your clothes off for the last few months," he growled deeply as soon as he released her lips. "Hell, yeah, I want to!" He stood up with her in his arms, carrying her out of the room and up the staircase, glad that he finally had her here in his home and he could show her how much she meant to him without any interruptions. 

She couldn't have imagined anything more romantic than actually being carried up the stairs and she clung to him and gave in to the impulse to nuzzle his neck, feeling his pulse beating beneath her lips as she gently kissed his skin, surprised at how smooth it felt. She felt the pulse beat faster with the caress and so she did it again, flicking her tongue out to taste the saltiness of his skin, his unique spicy taste. 

"Girl, you keep on doing that and I'll take you out here on the stairs," he growled, moving faster towards his room and kicking the door closed behind him once they were within it's confines. 

"You like that?" she asked, honestly curious because she didn't know what was the best way to touch him yet, but she was eager to learn. 

"Do it again and we'll see," he murmured, tilting his head to one side so she had free access to his throat. 

She smiled at the expression in his eyes and bent her head, using her tongue and lips to touch his pulse point and lick at his skin. He shuddered when she did it and she raised her head to look at him, making sure it was all okay. He had a deep flush of colour on his cheekbones and she wondered if that was a good sign, deciding it was when he opened the lids he had closed and stared at her with desire heavy eyes. She was still being held closely to his chest and he carried her slowly over to his enormous bed and lowered her onto the comforter, easing himself down next to her and capturing her lips in a kiss so gentle it almost brought tears to her eyes. 

She responded with abandon, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his, needing the closeness. He seemed to sense that and he enclosed her in his embrace, deepening the kiss and running his hands up and down her back. 

When he drew back she took a deep, shaky breath and moved her arms down, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt until she could unsnap the soft material and ease it from his enormous chest, her mouth watering at the sight of him. She leaned forward and placed a kiss right in the middle of the vast expanse, and he placed a hand on the back of her head, encouraging her. She didn't need telling twice and she pushed him so he fell on his back and she could feast on him, just the way she had wanted to but had been too shy to ask. Now she was going to live out every single fantasy she had had about him, to the best of her ability. 

Mark chuckled at the voracious expression she wore and sat up abruptly, ripping his shirt off and unbuttoning his jeans to ease the press on his aroused flesh. He lay back down and grinned at her, putting his arms above his head and grabbing the headboard. "I am at your service, ma'am, you may do whatever you want with me," he said, watching her eyes widen and her tongue come out to moisten her lips. 

"Really?" 

"Oh yeah, as long as you don't decide to get a stick and beat me with it," he said, frowning. Then his eyes narrowed and glittered. "On the other hand....." he left the sentence unfinished and she had sudden visions of her wielding a whip over this huge man, a giggle bursting from her, making him raise an eyebrow. "What?" 

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head, then she sobered and stared again at him laying there before her, wondering where to start. She thought back to when she had last had him naked and knew that she would get to that part eventually, although she wanted to be more adventurous this time, and she wanted to taste all of him. 

Mark watched as she went through different thought processes and then saw her finally make up her mind and lean down to kiss one small nipple, her mouth opening to let her tongue come out and lick at the small nub until it hardened and she could suckle it softly. He tensed when she did it, surprised that he was so sensitive there when he hadn't really been that way with other women. He tried to think as a jolt of pleasure shot through his body, and decided that no other woman had really bothered with his nipples, that was probably the reason he was surprised. A groan worked it's way out of his throat when she turned her attention to the other one, making it equally as hard and then biting on it gently, feeling his back arch off the bed when she did so. 

"Sorry...is it..." 

"It's okay, I liked it," he mumbled, closing his eyes to concentrate on the sensations she was causing. 

Amy swallowed and went back to her task, kissing his throat again and working her way around it and down, nipping every now and again as she reached his shoulders. She licked down the centre of his chest, through the fine hair that was starting to grow there again, relishing his taste and his scent, enjoying the way the huge pads of muscle tensed under her questing fingertips and mouth. His ribs received the same regard, and she nibbled along his side, making him tense again and again, partly from being ticklish. His eyes opened and he looked down at her, seeing the small smirk she couldn't hide. 

"You little tease!" he accused gruffly, chuckling. "You keep tickling me and I'll have to retaliate!" he warned her, his breath gasping out when she immediately stopped tickling with her teeth and ran her tongue around his belly button. 

She delved inside and then took a tuft of hair that grew below it between her teeth and pulled, making him arch towards her again. Placing her hand firmly on his heavily muscled body she attempted to stop him moving, surprised when he instantly settled back. His face wore a look of extreme pleasure and something else, something she couldn't quite define, although it could have been frustration. 

She looked down at where she had got to and took a deep breath, grabbing the edge of his jeans nervously and tugging them downwards. He lifted his hips to help her and she eventually got the heavy material down his legs until they tangled around his boots. She wished he was already undressed, but she was also enjoying being the one to actually take his clothing off. His boots came off with some difficulty, followed by his socks and then the jeans. Finally he lay before her clad only in a pair of boxers, the thin material not up to the task of concealing his hugely aroused flesh. 

Okay, she thought, this is the point where you chicken out. But she was determined she wouldn't, after all she had seen him naked before and had touched him, brought him to climax with her hands and her mouth. It wasn't all that new, not anymore. But the fact that this time they would go all the way, made it different and she couldn't help feeling nervous. 

Mark watched her every move and saw the sudden indecision written on her expressive face and he took matters into his own hands, stripping the boxers off and flinging them carelessly across the room. He lay back unashamedly, letting her gaze settle on his naked body until her cheeks flamed, but she had guts he had to admit. She didn't back off or stop, she crawled her way up his body, caressing his big feet, his ankles, his calves, the backs of his knees - which he found incredibly sensitive - until finally she planted her hands on his thighs, pulling them slowly apart so she could settle between them on her knees. She let her fingers run up and down his inner thighs, watching the muscles ripple with every touch, her fingers skimming higher with every stroke until she could wrap her hands around the base of his manhood. 

It was the most erotic thing Mark had ever seen, watching her explore his flesh with innocent fingers, her face still red, but her eyes alight with curiosity and desire. He bit off a sharp groan when she ran her hands up to the head and brush her thumbs over the sensitive surface, one finger coming up to touch the small slit and smear the bead of moisture over it. 

He knew he wasn't going to last and he waged a silent battle in his head over whether to stop her or not. The feel of her mouth enclosing the head in hot moistness while her hand went down to the sensitive sac underneath made his mind up for him and he arched off the bed, his knuckles going white where they gripped the headboard. He hadn't expected her to do that and he looked down to watch her, shocked because she had no experience other than with him and she had only licked at him uncertainly last time. About to say something, he found his voice deserting him when she moved him further inside her mouth and sucked experimentally, pleased at his abandoned response and the sounds he was making. 

It was funny, she decided. She had thought she would find this sort of things repulsive, but she was loving every second of it, enjoying the way his body tensed and loving his unique flavour. It was something she couldn't quite get enough of and she moved her head back a bit to lick at the tip of him, her head coming up as she heard him mutter something. 

Their eyes met and she stared at the change in his face, the rigidity of his jaw and the colour of his cheekbones. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked softly. 

"Don't stop," he groaned, letting go of the headboard and cupping her cheek, his hand running round to her neck when she bent down again and engulfed him. He guided her this time, putting pressure on her to show her how to bob up and down and she happily complied, trying to take him even deeper but finding it too uncomfortable. "Don't force it honey," he said deeply, pulling her back a bit, his eyes fascinated by the sight of her full lips enclosing his hard flesh, just the picture it made almost making him cum. 

She carried on, running her tongue around the head and over the slit repeatedly, then lightly grazing her teeth to see what would happen, at the same time raking her nails across his scrotum. He arched up suddenly and shuddered, his hands threading through her hair as though to pull her away and she shook her head, wanting to carry this through to completion. Mark groaned as he tried to stop himself from exploding in her mouth, but when she used her teeth and nails again he couldn't help it. "Amy, stop...I'm gonna.....Christ!" he yelled as he came, flooding her mouth with his seed as his body lost control. His head was thrown back and his muscles all tensed up, a harsh groan coming from his throat as he gave himself up to the pleasure. 

Amy was surprised at the amount that burst out of him and tried gamely to swallow it all, not finding the taste too bad, but there was too much and some of it ran down her chin. She quickly wiped it off with her hand and then released him, laying her head on one of his thighs and catching her breath. 

A few seconds later she found herself flat on her back with him looming over her, his hands making quick work of getting rid of her clothes even though they were shaking. "I suppose you think that was clever, huh?" he asked grimly, sounding like he'd just run a marathon, though not looking in the least bit angry. "Making me go all weak and mushy like that, well, it's your turn now!" he growled, smiling down at her and looking wicked. 


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter thirty-four 

Amy was still trying to get her breath back when he grabbed hold of her wrists and pinned them over her head, his face lowering so he could kiss her, playfully nipping at her lips and licking at the seam of them until she opened for him, allowing a deeper possession. 

The kiss he gave her was so arousing that she went under with barely any thought at all, groaning under the pressure of his body as he lowered his weight carefully onto her. She opened her legs as he inserted his knee between them and made room to settle himself against her, moving his free hand to slip beneath her hips and tilt her up into him. She became briefly lucid at the incredible intimacy of it, but he had found the sensitive skin of her throat and was nibbling at it contentedly, making her writhe underneath him. 

She didn't feel him let go of her wrists, but she definitely felt it when he lifted one of her firm breasts up to his face, licking at the hard bud of her nipple and then sucking it deeply into his mouth, feeling her arch under him and moan in pleasure. He nipped at the hard flesh in his pleasure and then turned to her other breast, treating it to same drugging caress, making a meal of her pretty pink body. He looked down at the sensual feast before him, enjoying the sight of her breasts flushed and the nipples hard and reddened from his ministrations. His mouth worked down her torso, finding anything that made her squirm and concentrating on it, learning what she liked and memorising it for later use. When he finally got to the juncture of her thighs, she was shaking like a leaf, wanting him to end the torture. He grinned and blew across the patch of auburn curls, making her tense, her hips rising unconsciously towards him. He obliged happily, using his tongue to part the slick petals and tasting the juices that flowed from her. Alternately using the tip of his tongue and the flat of his tongue, he found the sensitive bundle of nerves and teased her, taking his time. Every now and then he would push his tongue inside her, testing how far gone she was and then returning to torment the hard nub that was almost too sensitive to touch by now. Every time she was on the edge he would ease off, laying soft gentling kisses on her thighs until she calmed down enough for him to continue. His thumbs held her open for his ministrations and he used his lips to pull on the distended nub, sucking at her, hearing her almost scream at the intense sensations this caused. He smiled at the sound of her pleading with him, her voice a mere whimper as he tortured her until he couldn't stand it anymore himself, and he pulled himself back up her body to plunder her mouth, nudging her lips apart and plunging his tongue deep inside, the taste of both of them mingling. He broke off and stared down into her eyes, stroking the hair back from her moist forehead whilst he used one hand to guide himself against her softness, feeling her tense helplessly even as he probed as gently as he could. 

He dropped some small distracting kisses on her mouth and let himself start to enter her, stopping only when he felt the barrier that he knew he would have to break. He stroked her face again, smiling softly even though he felt tense. "It will only hurt for a second, okay? But it will be so good after, sweetheart. Trust me?" 

Amy bit her lip and nodded, already feeling the slight discomfort just from him pressing against her, but she was still aroused and she still wanted to continue. She watched as he nodded and then closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he pushed his hips forward suddenly and broke through, making her stiffen and try to get away from him at the sudden knifing pain that shot through her. She sobbed, feeling as if he had set fire to her abdomen, the pain more than she had imagined it would be, his flesh an uncomfortable and very large alien body inside her. "No, I can't...." she said, pushing at his shoulders, whimpering when he kept pushing relentlessly to try and get his length inside her. "Nooo......stop....it hurts!" 

Mark's face creased up in combined anguish and pleasure as he felt her tight flesh envelop him slowly, for a split second not knowing whether to pull back or continue. The sudden ease of his passage made his mind up for him and he continued, even as he saw the pain it was causing her. "Shh, shh, honey, it will pass," he whispered soothingly, hoping he was right. He had never in his life been with a virgin, and he hadn't known that it could possibly hurt anyone this much, although he was aware that he was well endowed. She was obviously as small as he was big. The realisation of the pain he was putting her through made him feel like a prize asshole, even if the intense pleasure of being inside her made him unwilling to withdraw. He stilled once he was fully sheathed, his hands soothingly stroking her hips and thighs, his mouth dropping to gently kiss her, deepening it slowly as she began to relax under him. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, baby," he crooned, placing soothing kisses on her face, over her closed eyelids to sip away the tears and down to her neck where the pulse beat frantically. 

When she was still and she wasn't shaking quite so much, he moved his hips experimentally from side to side, watching the pleasure from the movement skitter across her face. One hand dropped to her stomach and rubbed tenderly over it, his nose rubbing against hers at the same time. "Okay now?" 

She nodded jerkily, stunned by the feeling of being joined to him, arching her hips delicately to make it feel even better, a sense of fullness she had never had before. Mark gritted his teeth as she did so and slowly started moving, lifting her hips and curling them into his, showing her how to move to heighten the sensations. 

"You are so beautiful, you feel so good," he whispered to her as he relished the feel of her flesh holding him snugly inside her. "So tight," he continued, moving his hips steadily. "Lift up slightly, yes...ah, like that," he murmured, his hands teaching her. "Touch me," he ordered, smiling encouragingly as she started exploring his body. She did everything he told her to and then it came naturally, her body taking over all her movements in it's search for pleasure. And he gave it to her, so suddenly that she had almost no idea it was about to happen. The world exploded behind her tightly shut eyes and she cried out as the pleasure bordered on insanity. She had expected him to stop, but he had new reserves of endurance having already taken the edge off his hunger, and he kept on moving. His hands caressed her thighs, running to the inside of them and pushing them back towards the mattress, opening her wider to him so he could sink deeper into her. He felt her jerk and shudder when he sank into her again, pulling out until just the tip of him was still joined to her and then pushing back again. It wasn't deep enough and he lifted her legs, pressing them towards her chest, his eyes taking in her every expression so he would know instantly if he was hurting her. 

Amy felt him surge even deeper inside her and cried out at the sharp stabs of pleasure he caused every time he thrust inside her, his movements speeding up slightly now. One of his hands went under her and his fingers cradled her backside, holding her body up for his thrusts. The pleasure intensified for her as he angled her so he touched a particularly sensitive spot inside and she clenched her teeth as he tormented and teased her, keeping her bordering once again just on the edge of climax. He lengthened his strokes again, pulling almost right out and then snapping his hips almost violently back in, piercing right up to her cervix, the tightness of her passage making him rough in his passion-fogged desperation to make this last as long as he could while paradoxically wanting to cum. She felt him suddenly shove a pillow underneath her to keep her hips tilted up enough for him, but he never even slowed his movements, keeping up the same pace. 

His hand ran down her stomach and through the nest of curls, his thumb finding her swollen nub and pressing down on it, rubbing in rough circles, using his hips to thrust a last few times, getting as deep as he could. 

"Oh God, Mark, please...I can't..." Amy gasped out, the feelings running through her almost painful in their intensity. "It's too much....it's too....I can't...." 

"Yes you can sweetheart, let it happen," he said roughly, urging her on with a rough twist of his hips, his eyes frankly fascinated through his own fierce pleasure. Amy's hips lifted up and her body set in a rigid arch as she had an even more explosive orgasm than before, soft cries of fulfilment pulsing out of her throat, faintly hearing him join her in that sweet oblivion. 

Mark squeezed his eyes shut, the image of her at the peak of her pleasure burned into his consciousness and sending him off on his own spiral. He roared as the tension snapped suddenly and then sent him free falling through space for only a few precious seconds. 

Amy briefly lost consciousness, her arms falling from his shoulders and thudding lifelessly onto the mattress as she came down from the incredible high. 

After a few ragged breaths Mark managed enough strength to finally lift his head, then he went into a panic when he noticed she had passed out. His senses came crashing down on him when he realised how he had just taken her, and that she had been totally innocent. "Amy? Amy! Fuck!" He patted her cheek helplessly and loomed over her, saying her name over and over again until she opened her eyes and looked at him dazedly. 

"Oh my," she whispered, feeling her face heat as she thought about what had just happened. She frowned when she saw how worried he looked. 

"Are you alright?" he asked her hesitantly, his eyes glittering with guilt. "I was so rough with you, I didn't even realise...." 

"I'm fine, I think," she murmured, still feeling small eddies of pleasure coursing through her relaxed body. 

"I had no right to take you like that," he continued, his hands running up and down her sides and arms, seemingly making sure she was in one piece. "I lost my head." 

"Isn't that what it's normally like then?" she asked him, wondering what he had done that was so awful. Everything had felt amazing to her, although it was all a bit embarrassing when she thought of all the details. 

He chuckled helplessly and leaned his forehead on hers, taking a deep breath. "No, darlin', that ain't what it's supposed to be like your first time." He looked deep into her eyes as he slowly started to withdraw from her body, seeing her tense and then wince when he drew back and he nodded knowingly. "And that's why," he murmured, sitting back on his heels and looking down at her sprawled body. He swore softly under his breath when he saw the blood on her thighs and the small patch on the bed. 

She followed his troubled gaze and bit her lip, trying to close her legs against his stare. But he wouldn't let her. 

"Stay just like that, I'll be back in a second," he said, walking naked and unashamed into his bathroom. She heard water running and he came back with a washcloth, kneeling back on the bed and starting to clean her up. She squirmed as he did so, feeling more exposed now than she had when they had been making love, but he stilled and looked at her, smiling gently. 

"Keep still, this won't take a second. And stop trying to cover yourself up. You're mine now, there's not one part of you that you should hide from me, okay?" 

She swallowed and nodded, her heart doing flip-flops in her chest at his possessive attitude, and she lay back and let him tend to her. His fingers opened her gently so he could swipe the cloth tenderly over her sore flesh, cleaning away all evidence that she had just given herself to a man for the first time. She jumped when he bent and kissed her inner thighs when he had finished, but he got up immediately and took the cloth back in the bathroom. She could hear the sounds of him washing himself off too, obviously she had got blood on him. 

When he returned he sat back against the headboard and pulled her to his chest, kissing her lips softly and wrapping her into his embrace. 

"It's normal isn't it?" she asked, referring to the blood. 

"I hope so," he replied, still looking troubled because he felt he had pushed too deep inside her at the last. "It seems to have stopped anyway, so it was probably just from...you know..." he cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable and she couldn't help smiling. 

"You're not embarrassed are you?" she teased, surprised at her capability to speak to him so casually after what they'd just done. 

Mark stared down at her and raised one eyebrow, grinning. "Maybe a bit." He sobered almost instantly and rubbed her arms where he was holding her. "I'll never be that rough again. I did things...hell, I shouldn't have lost it like that! I hurt you!" 

Amy shook her head. "No you didn't, well, maybe a bit at first. I sort of expected that though. But you must know I enjoyed it," she said quietly, shy of talking about it just yet. 

"Yeah, I guess so. Well, you enjoyed it twice, actually, if we're being honest about it," he said, grinning proudly. "And quite loudly too. It's just as well we're all alone here!" 

She buried her face in his chest and groaned. "Oh, stop talking about it!" 

"Would you rather we did it again then?" he asked, bending to lick at her shoulder. "I know I would, but I have a feeling you won't be able to for a couple of days." He lifted his head and his eyes held hers for a long moment. "More's the pity," he said softly. 

"I might be able to," she whispered, her eyes full of emotion as she stared at him. 

"You're too sore, and I ain't gonna hurt you again for anything in the world. I want to make sure you enjoy it," he said by way of explanation, looking guilty. "I don't want you to suffer me just because I'm horny." 

Amy lifted a hand and placed it against his cheek, stroking his face lovingly. "I'd enjoy anything you did to me," she said, snuggling against him. "What....what Sara said to you...she was so wrong." 

Mark gaped at her, amazed that this one woman could see through everything he said, to the past hurts that lay inside him, easing them with just a few words. He smiled cynically. "Are you sure? How would you know, honey, you have nothing to compare me to." 

"I know what my own body is telling me, I know what I felt." She swallowed and blushed, her voice becoming quieter. "I know I want to do it again. If you were useless at it, like she said, then I wouldn't would I?"  
He lifted his hand and drew her chin up, staring deep into her eyes. "You are one of a kind, darlin', you know that?" he murmured before moving in and kissing her again, letting his emotions flow into the kiss. He broke off and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. "You're getting all brave on me, telling me you want to do it again, saying how much you enjoyed it. I think I like that, I know my body sure as hell does!" 

Amy instantly dropped her eyes and saw his thick manhood laying there in wait. "Oh," she said softly, her eyes shooting back up to his. 

"Yeah, 'oh'. Not so brave now huh?" he said, chuckling. 

"Do you want to...er...you know...." she stammered, suddenly losing her courage. 

"Of course I want to. I ain't going to, but I want to. I think I'll want to bury myself in your body even when I'm on my deathbed," he said earnestly. He gave a deep sigh and cursed his wayward body, knowing he was going to have to put with the intolerable ache now. This was what happened when you abstained for so long, an insatiable hard-on that wouldn't quit. "How about a nice relaxing bath?" he asked her, thinking that maybe sitting in the big bathtub together would help them both with their various aches and pains. 

Well, he decided a while later, maybe he had been wrong. Sure her aches and pains might have eased but his had only intensified. Having her laying back against him in the huge bathtub was making him harder than ever, something she couldn't fail to notice as it was pressed into her back. Without any conscious thought his hands smoothed over her stomach and up to cup her breasts, his thumbs skimming over the tight nipples rhythmically. The sound of her breath catching made him smile, as did the way she started squirming back against him. Okay, so, being this hard hurt, he thought. But so what? He was enjoying himself and so was she quite obviously. 

"You okay my baby?" he murmured, bending to tug at her earlobe with his teeth. 

"Mmmm, I'm just fine...oh!" she gasped as his fingers pinched at her nipple suddenly, making pleasure streak through her body. 

"Something wrong?" 

"N..no...oooh, that's so..." 

"So what?" he prompted, plucking at her again as his other hand started to slowly inch its way down her stomach. 

"So good, it...mmmm," she bit her lip when his other hand reached it's goal and started to stroke her gently below the water. 

"Feeling sore?" he asked softly, hoping she would say no. He smiled and eased a finger inside her when she shook her head, making sure she wasn't lying to him. She didn't tense up as he drew his finger back and forth and he teased her some more, testing his restraint as all he wanted to do was bury himself inside her. He was pleasantly surprised that her soreness seemed to have gone, thanking the hot water of the bath for that minor miracle. 

Amy felt him lift and turn her, and then she found herself sitting astride his legs, his face only inches from her own and his hard flesh springing up between her legs. 

"Put me inside you, darlin'," Mark said, his voice a deep growl that made shivers race up her spine. 

She blushed but did as he said and took hold of him, placing him against her slick flesh and slowly sinking down on the thick length of him, her breath sucking in when she was fully seated on his lap. 

Mark's head was leaning back against the side of the bath, his eyes closed as he strove for some semblance of control. He opened his eyes and looked into her passion glazed face, any control he already had splintering as he took in how sexy she looked sitting on him like that. He lifted his hips up and watched as she almost bit through her lip at the sudden jolt of pleasure. 

His hands grabbed her hips and showed her how to move on him, his teeth gritting as she followed his lead and rode him, her head rolling forward as the pleasure started to become unbearable. Her movements started to become jerky and uncoordinated as her climax approached and he took over, thrusting himself up into her as fast as he could in that position, studying her face intently as she came. The feel of her muscles contracting tightly around him flung him into his own ecstasy and he groaned harshly as he erupted inside her, feeling her collapse on his chest and putting his arms around her. He held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. 

"I love you, Mark," Amy murmured, her face buried against his throat. 

Mark's eyes snapped open at the softly spoken words and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating. She loved him. His arms tightened around her almost painfully as he cradled her to his chest, his breathing and his heart suddenly starting up again at double speed. 

"Oh God, honey, I love you too," he whispered, throwing caution to the wind. He had had enough of being careful with what he said, or how much he let his emotions show. He truly loved this adorable little creature he held, and he didn't give a damn who knew it anymore. 


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter thirty-five 

He waited patiently for her to reply, and when she said nothing he tried nudging her head away from his neck. A laugh rumbled in his chest as he realised she had fallen asleep. She hadn't even heard his confession, he thought, rolling his eyes. Great, the first time he felt safe saying those words to a woman and she didn't even hear him. He lifted her off him and laid her gently back against the side of the bath, his eyes taking in her curves with a faint sense of ownership. 

After quickly getting out of the water and drying himself, he lifted her out and laid her on a towel he had set out, wrapping it around her and then lifting her up to carry her in the bedroom, his mouth curving into a smile as her exhausted body stayed fast asleep. He had worn her out, he thought, his smile getting even bigger. It was too much to get her dressed in anything, and he contented himself with making sure she was dry and then laying her in his bed naked, his eyes looking at her covetously before he laid down next to her and covered them both up. After the exertion they had put themselves through they definitely needed their sleep. 

The next morning Amy woke up and stretched, wincing and frowning as her body protested the movement and her yawn was interrupted. She opened her eyes and looked around, finally seeing Mark laying next to her as always, fast asleep and looking very happy. She bit her lip as she remembered, in vivid detail, all that had happened the night before and she couldn't help reaching out and touching his face. His eyes opened instantly and he stared at her, a smile curving his distinctly sexy mouth. 

"Good morning, my darlin', sleep well?" he murmured, pulling her into the curve of his body and caressing her back. 

"Mmm," she mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes again. "I can't even remember getting in bed." 

"Well, that's because you feel asleep in the tub, right after you came apart in my arms. Remember that?" he asked wickedly, nibbling at her earlobe. He laughed as the heat from her face transmitted itself to his neck, and he knew without looking that she was blushing. "I guess you do. Remember what you said?" he asked this time, wondering if she would. 

She pulled back and stared at him with a frown. "No. What did I say?" 

"Oh, nothing much," he murmured, brushing a curly lock of hair out of her eyes and grinning. "Just how good a lover I was, how fantastic I am at pretty much everything, how much you love me." 

Amy stared at him and her mouth fell open. She had said that, she vaguely remembered it, but she couldn't for the life of her think of what he might have said in return. "Oh." 

"Mmm, oh. So, did you mean it?" he asked her, grabbing her chin and making her look directly at him, his face suddenly deadly serious. "Do you love me, honey?" 

She stared at him for a second, but she couldn't deny what was essentially the truth. She loved him with her whole heart. "Yes, I do." 

He pulled her even closer to him and clutched her convulsively. "Thank God," he muttered, but he didn't say the words back to her, and she wondered why not. Still, he felt something for her, she was sure and she relaxed in his arms, loving the feel of him. "I suppose you can barely move this morning? A quick roll in the hay is out of the question?" he mumbled, sounding so forlorn that she started laughing. "It ain't funny," he growled into her ear. 

"It's your fault, you know," she murmured, snuggling closer to him and giving a contented sigh. 

"How do you work that one out?" he grumbled, rolling onto his back and taking her with him, one of his hands coming up to stroke through her unruly hair. 

"Duh, you don't have to be a genius to figure that out!" she said, giggling when he pinched her bottom underneath the sheets. 

"Are you saying I'm stupid?" he growled, pulling her so she was laying squarely on top of him, her face inches above his own so he could give her a proper glare. 

"Yes," she shot back, grinning at him as she touched his face. "But that's okay, you know? You're sexy too, and you have a wonderful body....a brain isn't all that important!" 

"You're gonna be in so much trouble if you carry on," he warned her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. 

"You can't punish me, I'm the walking wounded remember?" she pointed out, leaning down and stealing a quick kiss. 

"Don't remind me," he groaned, running his hand up and down her back, enjoying the feel of her silky skin. "I guess I'll have to tell Mark Junior to settle down then?" 

"Does he ever listen to you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. 

Mark thought about that for all of two seconds and then shook his head, looking disgusted. "No. Still, you'd think he'd have learnt to by now. Never mind. I'll go and take a nice cold shower and you can get yourself dressed and down in that kitchen. I need feeding!" 

"Again," she added, rolling her eyes as he put her back on her side of the bed and stood up, stretching his huge arms above his head and yawning. 

"Hey, I need to keep this body that you're so fond of in good shape, otherwise I won't have the stamina to pleasure you, will I?" he asked with a grin, raising his eyebrows and widening his eyes before he sauntered into the bathroom. 

Amy sighed and got out of bed, catching sight of herself in the mirror. She didn't look any different, she thought, staring at her naked body and flushed face. Apart from a few small marks where his beard had scratched her, she looked exactly the same. She leaned closer to her reflection and studied her eyes. Nope, no difference there either. Still, she shrugged, what did she expect? A big banner on her forehead reading 'I lost my virginity last night'? She laughed as she thought of that and started getting dressed, wincing again when she put her underwear on. She knew she wouldn't be able to accommodate him again for a while, and she wondered if that was normal. If so, how long did she have to wait? The thought of what he had done to her made her blush and she gave a soft huff of laughter as she left the room and made her way downstairs. She couldn't wait for him to do it again! 

Two days passed by smoothly, and Mark treated her as if she were made of bone china, always opening doors for her, making sure she didn't carry anything heavy or do any work at all. He even stopped her from doing the dishes after she had cooked their meals, but he didn't actually mind her cooking at all. On the third day he took her for a walk to meet Sam and Rachel, the couple who ran the ranch for him, and she was surprised to find that they were a fairly young couple. For some reason she had imagined a middle aged couple, but these two were only in their thirties. They were very friendly and welcomed her as if they had known her for years, and she instantly felt comfortable in their home. Sam was fairly tall and dark-haired, not as tall as Mark, and Rachel had medium length black hair and was about five months pregnant with their first child, something she was incredibly excited about and she couldn't help but show Amy all the things she had bought so far for when the baby arrived. It made Amy think of pregnancy, and she put a hand on her own stomach, wondering if she could already have conceived. Mark hadn't used anything and she wasn't on the pill, so it was a distinct possibility. Neither of them had even spared a thought for contraception. She wondered how Mark would feel if she suddenly announced she was pregnant. She shrugged the thoughts off and carried on talking to Rachel, it was early days yet and she doubted it could possibly have happened after only one night. 

Whilst they were sitting down having coffee another girl walked into the room with some shopping bags and smiled when she saw who was there. "Mark!" she said, laughing as he gave her a quick hug. 

Amy looked at her. She was short, possibly a couple of inches taller than she was, and she had very long brown hair, with natural streaks of blonde in it. She was pretty, with big grey eyes fringed with dark lashes, and she wore no make up on her flawless complexion. She was just wondering who she was when Mark turned to her with a smile. 

"Amy, darlin', this is Lenny, she's Sam's baby sister," he said, grabbing the girl's shoulders and standing her in front of him, facing Amy. "Lenny, this is Amy, the girl you've all heard so much about." 

"I'm really pleased to meet you!" Lenny said, grabbing Amy's hand and shaking it vigorously. "I thought this big idiot would never hook up with someone nice, but you've finally come along! Welcome to Texas." 

Amy couldn't help smiling at the girl's enthusiasm. "Thanks, it's nice to meet you too. What's your name short for?" 

"Charlene," she said with a grimace of distaste. "I hate it, and only my brother ever calls me that. Everyone else calls me Lenny." 

"Because she's a tomboy," Mark put in, sitting next to Amy and putting his arm around her shoulders. "We're thinking of having a barbecue when a couple of my friends get here. I want you three to come as well." 

That was the first Amy had heard of it, but she didn't let on as the others all agreed. Lenny looked a bit wary. "Okay, as long as you don't expect me to serve anything." 

Mark laughed at that. "Lenny here is possibly the clumsiest person ever. Don't ever give her a tray of drinks because she'll sure as hell tip it over someone," he said, grinning at the other girl's peeved expression. 

"Gee, I'll just have to make sure I tip it over you next time, won't I?" she said sarcastically. 

"Oh no, I'm staying well out of your way, I've learned my lesson," Mark said, holding his hands up. He stood up and pulled Amy with him. "Well, we have to get going. The guys should be here sometime next week, so I'll call you and let you know when to come over, okay?" 

They all murmured their agreement and then said their goodbyes, Mark leading Amy away from the house and along the road towards his own house. "What did you think of them?" 

Amy smiled as she looked up at him. "They're really nice people, and I liked Lenny a lot. I hope we can be friends while I'm here." 

As far as Mark was concerned she would be here forever, but he didn't say anything to her just yet. "I'm sure you will be, she's only a couple of years older than you. Maybe you could go shopping together sometime, God knows I hate traipsing from store to store." 

"Yeah, well, you're a man, men are allowed to hate shopping. So when are the others coming here then, and why didn't you tell me about the barbecue?" 

"The others are coming next week, sometime around Thursday I think, and I didn't tell you about the barbecue because I just thought it up on the spur of the moment, Miss picky!" he said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. "Why, do you have a problem with that?" 

"No, I think it'll be fun," she said, smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "I love it here," she told him, looking around her at the land he owned. 

He could see the truth of the statement in her face. "Good. I want you to be comfortable here, treat it like your own home," he said, thinking to himself that he would like her to call it her home, but he'd wait a while before he brought that subject up. He had to be absolutely certain of her feelings, despite the fact she had admitted she loved him. He wasn't going to open himself up to heartache again, and he wanted her to get to know everything about him so she had a chance to change her mind if she wanted to. He hoped she wouldn't. 

Later that week, after a meal of steak and salad and a few bottles of beer, Mark sat relaxing whilst he listened to some music and Amy went upstairs to take a shower. She came down the wide wooden stairs after she had finished and glanced around the dimly lit hall, wondering where Mark was. She listened carefully and heard faint music coming from somewhere at the back of his huge sprawling home, and she made her way through the rooms, following the sound until she found him. He was sitting in a big leather chair, his head tilted against the back of it and his eyes closed, a glass of some amber fluid in his big hand. An enormous sound system was playing music, something bluesy by the sound of it, and he was tapping his fingers lightly on the arm of the chair, looking incredibly relaxed. 

Amy stood and watched him for a while, simply enjoying the sight of him like that. His shirt was hanging open and he was wearing the jeans that she thought made him look incredibly sexy, his huge body so tempting she couldn't resist finally moving towards him. 

Mark was aware of her standing in the room, but he kept his eyes closed and his expression calm, waiting to see what she would do. After a short while he heard her soft footsteps approach him and then her hand descended on his arm and stroked softly. 

"Hey," she said, waiting for him to open his eyes. When he did she became mesmerised by the green depths that sparkled as they looked at her, darkening as his hand shot out and pulled her unresisting body down onto his lap. 

"Hey, honey. Make yourself comfortable," he murmured, hissing in a sharp breath when she wiggled about in his lap, making his flesh leap. He took a swallow of his bourbon and studied her, his head cocked to one side, looking at the way she stared down into his drink. 

"Want some?" 

"What is it?" she asked, sniffing delicately at the liquid and wrinkling her nose. 

"It's bourbon, ever had it?" he asked. 

"No, it smells horrible," she said, sniffing again. 

"It's an acquired taste I guess. Take a small sip," he urged, holding the glass up to her mouth. 

She did as he asked, and then made a face as the strong liquor burned her throat. Mark chuckled when she pushed it away. "Yeuch!" 

"Better get used to the taste honey, because I'll taste of it when I kiss you in a second," he murmured, his eyes dropping to her mouth. 

"Okay," she said happily, wanting nothing more in the world right then than for him to kiss her. 

He put his glass on a nearby table, raising one eyebrow. "You're being very amenable all of a sudden," he said, smiling. 

"Well, if you'd said get used to the taste because I had to drink a bottle of the foul stuff, maybe I'd act differently," she said reasonably. "But being kissed is a different thing entirely!" 

"I think I may have created a monster," he said wryly, lifting her and then placing her over his legs so she was straddling him, her short robe starting to fall open over her legs. 

She settled herself against him, feeling his aroused body hard underneath her, and she wiggled on top of it, grinning wickedly at him even as her face heated at her own brazenness. "I think you're right!" 

"My God, ya really are a li'l hussy, ya know?" he drawled at her, his grin matching hers as he saw the effect his exaggerated Texan drawl had on her. She pressed herself closer against him and bit her lip. "What's the matter my darlin', somethin' turnin' ya on?" 

He felt her give a delicate shudder. "Don't talk like that," she said huskily, her eyes narrowing on his face. 

"Aw, baby, why not? I love to talk like that when I can see how much it turns ya on," he said, his voice lifting as he chuckled, his hands grabbing her hips and pulling her down onto the thrust of him, grinding himself up into her softness. 

She shook when he slid a hand under her and cupped her in his palm, his grin widening. "No panties huh, I guess you're feeling all better then. Were you expecting somethin' by any chance?" he teased, letting his fingers press inwards until he could freely slide one inside her rapidly moistening centre. He watched avidly as her eyes closed and her head fell forwards, her body tightening around his invading digit. He stilled his movements and nudged her face up again. "Damn li'l girl, you are so tight. Ya want me darlin'? Ya want my hard, hot flesh fillin' ya up, making ya scream?" 

Amy moaned at his words, picturing what he was saying. "Yesss," she whispered, the word drawn out as his finger pushed inside her further. 

"Ya want me right now, hard and fast and deep?" he continued, moving his thumb to rub over her swollen nub. 

"Please..." she moaned, pushing herself closer to him, wanting him inside her. She hadn't known it could be like that, that she could want him until it was a fever, but now she knew what he could give her she couldn't stop herself. 

Her whimpers spurred him on and she heard the rasp of his zipper and then felt him against her, so suddenly that her shocked eyes snapped open and looked down, seeing he had quickly freed himself and was slowly pushing inside her. He held her hips as he inched his way upwards, only letting her sink on to him a tiny amount before he stopped her. "Ya sure this is what ya want?" he said, his voice tense even though he was teasing her still. 

"Mark, please, let me..." she groaned, fighting his hold until he suddenly let go and she impaled herself on him, pushing down as far as she could and feeling him hit deep inside her. Her head fell back and soft noises came from her throat as she relished the feel of him, the intense stretching and sense of fullness, her body accepting him with barely any pain this time. 

She started to move, not too sure of how to do it like this in a chair, but just using instinct. He allowed her to have her own way for a while, watching and feeling her enclosing him, then he took control, grabbing her hips again and pulling her up and down on him, his hips moving in rhythm, so fast and deep that she was flung with amazing speed into an intense climax. She stiffened and cried out, and he joined her, holding her bruisingly hard down on him as he pulsed inside her. She fell forward, letting her head rest on his shoulder and heard him panting for breath, his body still quaking with his own release. Still she could feel him inside her and she suddenly realised that he remained hard, his flesh not shrinking as it had before. Her head lifted and she looked into his eyes, watching as he raised his eyebrows comically and growled. "You're still...." 

"I sure am," he said roughly, pushing his hips up again and smiling when she gasped at the rapid return of pleasure. "I can't stop, sweetheart, I don't even want to try," he muttered, standing up still joined with her, holding her raised with her legs wrapped around his waist. She looked startled and he simply smiled, walking over to the wall and pinning her against it, using it as a support as he started moving inside her again. 

He watched her the whole time he took her, fascinated with the play of emotions on her expressive face, at the way she bit her lip until it nearly bled when the pleasure became too intense, yet still he continued moving, wondering at his own endurance and her capacity for pleasure. She had already climaxed again and he could feel her tightening on him once more, his deep lunges making her insane. Finally, nearly exhausted, he felt his own body quickening, his flesh swelling even more than it already was, and then it burst forth, his release bathing her insides and causing her to find fulfilment before she fell onto him like a limp rag. He allowed himself a moment to rest against the wall, pinning her with his weight, his forehead leaning over her shoulder and resting on the wood panelling. Then he took her out of the room and up the stairs, not bothering to disengage from her just yet, enjoying a closeness that he would once have found uncomfortable. With her it was different. Hell, he thought, with her everything was different. She brought life and colour to a world that had been too dark for too long, and he knew he would never be able to let her go. 


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter thirty-six 

Later the next week Amy got a call from Vince, telling her they were in town with the company and that they would be coming to see them. 

"I've missed you all," she said, smiling as Mark walked up to her and put his arms around her waist, bending to rest his head on her shoulder. 

"Well, we've missed you too, Peaches, which is why we're coming to check on you, make sure that big moron is taking care of you!" 

Mark heard the words as his head was near the receiver and he frowned. "Maybe I don't want your ugly old ass at my house," he snarled into the phone and Amy slapped him. 

"Tell him he hasn't got a choice," Vince told her, laughing. "Anyway, I heard tell that he's having a barbecue, but I haven't received my invitation yet!" 

Mark rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone out of her hand. "Of course you're invited, you're Amy's father. I checked with Glenn and he said the only day you're all free is Wednesday." 

"Yeah, that's right. The whole group have a day off then. Oh, by the way, I've put you in for an autograph signing, since we're in your home town and all," Vince said, and Mark could hear the smile in his voice. 

"I'm supposed to be on vacation," he protested, giving Amy a disgusted look that made her laugh. 

"Hey, it's only one day, and you're getting paid. Besides, you can't let your fans down, now can you?" Vince pointed out. 

"I guess not. What day?" 

"Monday at 10 am, be there early. So when's the barbecue then?" 

"Well, since you're all free on Wednesday, then that's the day to have it isn't it?" Mark asked him sarcastically and got a laugh in return. "I thought maybe about 12, lunch time, that way everyone will be hungry." 

"Great. Shall I tell the others?" 

"Yeah. Mind you, Kevin's coming over this weekend, so you don't have to tell him. Plus Stephanie's coming to stay too, for a week I think she said. Anyhow, in the mean time, how about you come over for dinner tonight, unless you have plans?" 

"That would be good, we don't have any other plans. Thanks, Mark. I'll see you later?" 

Mark finished the call and then picked Amy up ran up the stairs with her, ignoring her shriek of laughter and the slaps she was giving him. He dropped her on the bed and started stripping his shirt off. 

"What are you doing?" she asked through a fit of the giggles. 

"Your parents are coming to dinner soon, so we don't have much time," he said, pulling off the last item of clothing and leaping on the bed. 

"It's only 11 am!" she said, trying to stop his hands from removing her clothes and failing. 

"Yeah, so we only have a few hours!" he told her frantically, laughing finally as he wrestled her down on the bed and went about shutting her up. 

Vince and Linda came to dinner that night at six, Vince grabbing Amy and hugging her as soon as she opened the door. When he released her he looked at her face and then raised his eyebrow, his eyes going to Mark and looking at him knowingly. "Well, I guess she looks okay. I assume you've been taking good care of her?" 

"The best," he grinned, sliding an arm around her waist and drawing her back into the house, the other couple following. 

Linda gave Amy a hug, and then hugged Mark too, getting a sheepish smile from the big man. "So, what are we having? Something smells good!" she asked, poking her head around doors until she reached the kitchen. 

"Nothing too fancy, I'm afraid," Amy said, walking into the room with her and checking the oven. "Just a roast." 

"I love roast, and so does Vince, as you well know. Do you need any help?" the older woman asked. 

"No, thanks. It's all doing okay by the looks of it. How about a drink?" she asked, getting some wine out of the fridge and pouring a couple of glasses, handing one to each of her new parents. 

They all sat down and talked about what had been happening with various storylines since Mark had been away, and Amy was surprised at how much went on in a two week period. She was relaxed and happy as they all ate dinner, and she realised that she felt like this was her home now. Her eyes went to Mark and found him looking back at her, a smile curving his lips and his eyebrows arching as he held his hand out. Amy took it and he squeezed her fingers, his eyes so loving that Vince had no doubts in his mind about the big man's feelings for his daughter. 

"So, when's Kevin coming here did you say?" Vince asked, making Mark come out of his trance. 

"Oh, er, this weekend. Probably tomorrow night if I know Kev, he hates wasting time," he said, shaking his head. 

"True," Vince replied. "He isn't due here until Monday, or at least he isn't due back at work. Glenn and him were going to travel together, as far as I knew. Is Glenn staying too?" 

"No, he and Tammy want some time alone, so he'll be staying at the hotel. I did offer though. Like I said, Steph's coming to stay," Mark said, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth that made Amy look at him suspiciously. 

"Why do you look like you're planning something?" she asked him, her eyes narrowing as he grinned. 

"Me? Planning something?" he asked, trying to look innocent. 

"Yes, you!" she said, giggling as he put on a sorrowful expression. 

"You'll just have to wait and see won't you?" he said, grinning and flicking her nose with his finger. He knew she hated waiting for things, especially if she knew it was a secret. But this was one thing she wouldn't be getting out of him. 

He believed that right up until later that night when Vince and Linda had left and they were laying in bed. She had teased him almost beyond endurance and he had finally managed to pin her down long enough to thrust inside her, his body going wild and his mind following suit until he lay next to her in a daze, trying to regain his breath. "Tell me what you've got planned," she murmured, running her hand down his chest and nuzzling his neck. "Or I won't ever do that again!" 

He groaned at that thought and clutched his chest theatrically. "You wound me!" 

Amy laughed and elbowed his ribs, laying herself over him and sighing contentedly. "You big fake. Come on, tell me." 

"Okay, okay. Stephanie told me she would be staying after the barbecue, so I invited Paul to stay." 

"Paul Wight?" she asked, raising her head to look at him. 

"Mmm-hmm. I thought it might give them the push they both need. What do you think?" 

"I think you're devious," she said softly, tracing his features with her fingertips and then kissing his lips. "And a really nice man." 

"Like I told you before, honey, I ain't that nice. But I don't mind you saying so every now and then." He bit her fingertip and smiled. "You could also say how sexy I am if you like." 

"I guess I could," she murmured, then rolled onto her side and curled up with her back to him, staying silent. 

"Hey!" he said, nudging her back. "You didn't say it." 

"Well, I wouldn't want to lie, now would I?" she said a giggle escaping her throat as she felt his hands grab her and roll her over. 

"Oh you'll pay for that, darlin'," he growled, bending and covering her mouth with his. 

"I was hoping you'd say that," she breathed as he nuzzled her neck, giving herself over to sensation again. 

The next evening Mark was out in his garage working on one of his bikes and Lenny had come to visit, she and Amy sitting in the kitchen having a cup of coffee and chatting about various topics. Amy was pleased to find she had a lot in common with the other girl, and she knew they would be friends. She heard a car pulling up outside and frowned, remembering that Kevin would be arriving this evening. 

"Who's that?" Lenny asked as Amy went to look out of the window. 

"I think it's Mark's friend Kevin, he's supposed to be staying here.....yes, that's him," she said, smiling as she saw the big blonde man unfold himself from the driver's seat of a huge truck. 

"Kevin Nash?" Lenny asked quietly, coming to stand behind Amy so she could look for herself. "Oh no." 

"What's wrong?" Amy asked, turning round to see the other girl's worried face. 

"He doesn't like me," she murmured, watching out of the window as Mark came out of the garage to greet his friend, wiping his hands on a rag before shaking the other man's hand. 

"Why on earth not?" Amy asked. 

"I got drunk last time he was here. It was the first time I'd ever had alcohol and, well, I managed to knock him into the barbecue. It almost set light to his pants and he was furious," she said, grimacing. 

"What did he do?" 

"He picked me up and threw me in the lake," she said, her brows creasing in a frown as she thought back to that day. "He said it would sober me up. I don't like him." 

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, because he's staying for some time and he'll be at the barbecue too. I hope you can get on now?" Amy asked her, biting her lip as she worried about what would happen. 

Lenny saw her expression and sighed. "I'll try. But he might not," she said, wondering if she should go home now before he came in the house. But the door opened a second later, and she knew she was too late. 

"Amy!" Kevin said, lifting her off her feet in a hug and ignoring the glower Mark gave him. He loved that his friend was jealous. "How have you been?" he asked, putting her down and grinning. Amy couldn't help grinning back, something about this man's smile made her feel like giggling. 

"I've been really good, thanks. How about you?" 

"Not bad, not bad. Of course, I've had a lot of work to do over the last coupl....." he broke off as he caught sight of Lenny, his face instantly freezing. "What the hell is she doing here?" 

Amy gaped at him, shocked by the sudden change from smiling, friendly man to avenging giant. He looked furious. "She's come to visit me," Amy told him, casting a worried look at Lenny and seeing the other girl looking red-faced and uncomfortable. "She's my new friend." 

"Really?" he drawled, pulling himself up to his full height and folding his arms over his chest, his eyes glaring at the young woman. "I hope you haven't done something stupid like inviting her to the barbecue? She'll probably try and set fire to you if she's here!" 

"I told you before, I didn't do it on purpose..." Lenny said heatedly, but his glare made her stop speaking. 

"You were disgustingly drunk and you had no control over yourself, which doesn't come as much of a surprise!" he snapped, his hands going to his hips as he bent slightly to thrust his face antagonistically towards her. "You're lucky I didn't hold your head under the water!" 

Lenny's mouth fell open and she swung her hand up, slapping his face as hard as she could. Kevin was so caught of guard by her actions that he didn't even retaliate, and she covered her mouth with both hands before pushing her way past them all and running off up the road towards her own house. 

Amy was staring wide-eyed at the whole scene, and Mark pulled her against him, one arm draped over her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, baby, they're always like this." 

"Always? How long have they known each other?" 

"Since she was a kid, and _she hasn't grown up all that much_!" Kevin bellowed out of the door, coming out of his stupor and rubbing his face where she had hit him. "Goddamn it, when I get my hands on her..!"  
"Oh dear, oh dear, "Amy murmured, chewing her lip and looking worried again. "What about the barbecue? We've invited them and I don't want to exclude her..." 

"You won't have to. Kevin here will behave himself, won't you?" he asked the big man, giving him a hard look. 

"She just hit me, she'll be paying for that," he answered. 

"Not at the barbecue though," Mark said firmly, and Kevin relented, nodding his head. 

"Okay, I'll try and stay out of her way, I suppose. But if she throws anything at me or spills anything on me, I'll throw her in the lake again. And this time I'll tie a concrete block to her foot!" he snapped, leaving the house and walking to his truck to get his bags. 

"Wow, he really doesn't like her does he?" Amy breathed when Kevin was out of earshot, and Mark laughed. 

"Don't be too sure, honey. Things aren't always as they appear." 

"You mean he does like her?" she asked, confused. Mark just laughed again and hugged her, bending his head to whisper in her ear. 

"We've got company for the next couple of weeks, unfortunately, otherwise I'd have you upstairs right now," he said, giving her a heated look that spoke volumes. "Mind you, right about now the floor would be okay by me." 

"You can't want to do it again, we only just did that this morning...twice!" she said in a hushed voice, risking a glance out the door to where Kevin was unloading his bags. 

Mark smiled slowly and bent to kiss her, putting all his passion for her in the kiss until she was clinging to him and gasping for breath. "Now tell me you don't want to do it again," he asked quietly, chuckling when she glared at him. 

"That wasn't fair," she muttered, trying to cool her hot cheeks down as Kevin walked back in. 

"What wasn't fair?" Kevin asked, glancing curiously at her red face and then smiling wickedly at Mark. "What did you do to her?" 

"Just taught her the meaning of frustration," Mark said, widening his eyes and laughing when Amy went to punch him. "Hey, stop attacking me!" he yelled, yelping comically when one of her fists connected with his backside. He tried to grab her but she dodged around him and punched him again, giggling as he attempted to avoid her fists. 

"Need a hand, buddy?" Kevin asked, twisting his lips thoughtfully as he watched his big friend being beaten by a woman. 

"No, I damn well don't!" Mark growled, unable to help laughing again when Amy pinched his backside this time. He spun the opposite way to the one she had expected and grabbed her, hauling her up and over his shoulder and slapping her bottom. "Make yourself at home Kev, I'm just gonna put her in the kitchen where she belongs!" 

Kevin laughed as he watched them disappear into the back of the house, pleased to see Mark so at ease. The iceman had fallen, he mused, and it was quite a sight to see. He shook his head and picked his bags up again, carrying them up the stairs and stashing them in the room he had used last time he was here. Apart from that damn nuisance girl hanging around, he was determined to enjoy this stay, even if he had to bury her up to her neck in one of the fields. 

Kevin watched Amy and Mark interact over the next couple of days and was slightly amazed at how much more relaxed Mark seemed to be. He had never been like that with Sara, not that that was so remarkable, but he had obviously never really been himself. Now he laughed more and smiled more than Kevin had ever seen, and he wasn't the only one who noticed. Glenn came to visit on the Sunday and brought Tammy with him, and the two girls went off to make something to eat while the men sprawled in the television room and watched a baseball game, shouting at the screen every now and then. 

Amy laughed as she heard them bellowing and looked at Tammy, raising her eyebrows. "Only men would be stupid enough to shout at an inanimate object, right?" 

"You got that right," the other girl said, starting to peel the vegetables Amy had put on the work surface. "Actually, I've done my fair share of shouting at the TV, especially when there's a wrestling match on, so maybe that's a bit unfair!" 

Amy laughed and shook her head. "Okay, you've got me there, I've shouted at it too! So," she asked, looking across at the blonde girl, "how are you and Glenn getting along?"  
"Really good," she said, smiling with pure happiness. "He's been so romantic, and protective, and....oh, I don't know. He's just lovely. I guess people would never think that to look at him, but he's a big softie really." 

"I know what you mean. Mark's the same," Amy murmured, her eyes briefly flicking to the doorway and then back again. "Er...have you and Glenn....you know, er, slept together yet?"  
Tammy went red and then laughed when she saw that Amy was much the same colour. "Yes, we have. I guess I don't have to ask you the same question?" 

Amy grinned and shook her head. "No, you don't. I thought somehow I'd look different in the morning, but I didn't." 

"I know, I thought the same thing. I was surprised I hadn't totally changed, but I looked just the same. The only thing that's changed is I'm a bit more confident around Glenn," Tammy said as she put a pile of chopped carrots in a pan, and then started on a cauliflower. 

"I am too, I think. I can talk to him better, and if I want a kiss, I just go ahead and take one!" she laughed as she thought of Mark's face every time she initiated a kiss. "He always seems shocked when I do that!" 

"He's happier than I've ever seen him," the other girl said, smiling. "He used to walk around looking morose, and I can't remember seeing a smile on his face. He looks totally different now, and that's down to you. You must be good for him." 

"He's good for me too. I really love him, you know?" 

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious how you feel about each other," she said, then turned her head when there was a knock on the back door, and it opened to reveal Lenny standing there. 

She smiled at Amy and cast a worried look around. "Sorry to burst in. I just thought I'd come and say hi, but I didn't realise you had company," the other girl said, looking uncomfortable. 

"That's okay," Amy said, not in the least bit bothered by the other girl just popping round, and she gestured for her to come in. "We're just, making something to eat, you're very welcome to join us. This is Tammy, a friend of mine from the company, we both work in wardrobe. Tammy, this is Charlene, she's the sister of the guy who runs the ranch." 

"Pleased to meet you, Charlene," Tammy said, smiling and shaking the girl's hand. 

"Ugh, don't call me that. Everyone calls me Lenny. And it's nice to meet you too, Amy's talked about you," she said, perching on another stool. "Can I help at all?" 

"No, we've got it all under control now. I'm just doing a casserole, so it'll take a while until it's ready," Amy said, dumping the rest of the vegetables in the big pan and then starting to put everything together to throw in the oven. 

"Is...er, he here?" 

Tammy raised her eyebrows. "Who's he?" 

"The blonde ogre," Lenny said, grimacing. 

Amy laughed. "Yes, he's watching TV with the others." 

"Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't stay." 

"What's going on?" Tammy asked, looking eager to hear any gossip. Amy laughed and told her what had happened the day Kevin had arrived, and Lenny filled her in on what had happened before that. "I thought Kevin was so mild mannered!" 

"He is with anyone else but me, or that's how it seems anyway," Lenny said, shrugging. 

"Well, if you're going to stay, you should play him at his own game," Tammy told her, grinning. 

"How's that?" Lenny asked, confused. 

"What's the one thing he expects out of you when he sees you? For you to argue with him, right? So ignore him instead, he'll probably hate that." 

Lenny smiled and then giggled. "You're right, I always rise to the bait when he says horrible things to me. Okay, I'll stay." 

"Good. This should be interesting!" Amy said. "Come on, let's get them lot a beer and we'll go and sit with them, shall we?" 


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter thirty-seven 

Amy and Tammy both found it hard to hide their laughter when Kevin saw Lenny walk in the room. His hair almost stood on end with rage and he glared at her through narrowed eyes. Lenny did as they'd planned and completely ignored him, apart from handing him a beer which he took and stared at as though it was poisoned. She went and sat on the opposite side of the room and said hello to Mark and Glenn, having already met him before. 

Mark pulled Amy down onto his lap and raised his eyebrows. "Something going on?" he asked quietly, nodding towards Kevin who was still glaring at the other girl. 

"No," she said innocently, leaning against him and smiling when his arms closed tightly around her. 

"Hmm, why don't I believe you?" he murmured, grinning at her when she flushed guiltily. 

"Lenny's staying for dinner, that's all," she said, her voice loud enough for Kevin to hear. 

"What?" the other man said, his voice so loud that everyone turned to look at him. He cleared his throat and sank back against the sofa, turning his attention to the baseball game and trying to ignore the amused glances he was getting from his friends. 

It was a tense atmosphere in the room for the next couple of hours, and it was a relief when Amy finally got up and announced that dinner should be cooked, so they could all go to the dining room. Kevin was the first to leave the room and Lenny gave a triumphant smile as she watched him stomp off to the other room. She made sure she seated herself next to him, hoping she could take anything he dished out. Any insults he heaped on her head would be worth it just to see him feeling so uncomfortable. 

Kevin shot Amy a look as she put dinner on the table and he decided he couldn't act on what he was feeling. What he really wanted to do was push Charlene's head in the huge casserole, but he bottled up his anger and remained polite and cordial throughout the meal, finding it easier to ignore her. 

Mark smiled, knowing what the other man was doing. They were alike in some ways and this was exactly the way he would react in this situation. Kevin looked up and caught the smile, shooting Mark a deadly look and then finding himself looking next to him at Charlene. It was unfortunate that Lenny had chosen that moment to look at him, too, and she gave him a sweet smile, narrowing her eyes. The look almost made him explode with rage and he gripped the edge of the table so hard he nearly snapped it off. What was it about her that made him lose control so easily, he wondered, hurriedly looking away. 

Lenny watched his jaw clench and looked away, frowning. Maybe she should leave well enough alone, she thought, because it was bad enough when he just got a bit angry. God knows what he would do if really lost his temper. She stayed silent for the rest of the meal, only talking when someone spoke directly to her, and only quietly. She didn't want to draw attention to herself anymore. After what seemed a decent amount of time had passed she made her excuses and got up from the table, thanking Amy and Mark for the meal. 

Amy walked her out. "Kevin seemed very tense. Looks like giving him the silent treatment worked," she said, smiling at the other girl as they reached the front door. 

"I know, but maybe it worked too well. He'll just be even nastier at the barbecue now," she said, looking unsure of herself. "Perhaps I should just stay at home where he can't get me." 

"No! Don't do that. I haven't got many female friends, only Tammy really. I'd like us to be friends too," Amy said. 

"I think we will be," the other girl said and gave a genuine smile. 

"I tell you what, how would you like to come round tomorrow morning for coffee and chat? Mark's got to work, so the company would be nice. Don't worry," she said quickly when she saw the other girl frown hesitantly, "Kevin's going to be at work too!" 

Lenny relaxed instantly. "Then yes, I'd love to. I'll come round after breakfast, if that's okay?" 

"That's fine. See you then," Amy said, watching the other girl walk off and give a wave before she closed the door. She really liked her and she thought it would be nice to have a friend close by while she was staying here, because Tammy would be gone soon and Stephanie was only staying a week. 

Kevin walked out of the dining room, looking towards the door and narrowing his eyes. "Is she gone?" 

"Yeah," Amy said, walking past him. "Nice of you to make her feel so welcome though," she murmured, tongue in cheek. 

He glowered, looking bad tempered and sulky. "She should have stayed away if she didn't like my company." 

"She came here to see me, not you. Kevin, you will be nice at the barbecue won't you?" she asked worriedly and he looked down at her, rolling his eyes. 

"Okay, I'll be nice, for you," he said, giving her a cheeky grin that made her laugh. "If she does anything stupid though, I can't make any promises about my reaction, okay?" 

Amy nodded. "Okay, fair enough. But she won't." 

"We'll see," Kevin said under his breath as she walked away. 

The next morning Lenny knocked on the back door just after 8.30, and Amy let her in, handing her a cup of coffee she had already been pouring out. "You're early!" 

"Yeah, I know. But I've been up since seven, and I hate waiting around. Have...er...have they gone yet?" she asked, not having seen the driveway, so she didn't know whether Kevin's car was there or not. 

Amy shook her head. "Not yet. They're just getting ready." 

"But they'll be gone soon, right?" she asked again, glancing towards the door as if Kevin was going to appear there any second. 

"Yes, they will, don't panic!" 

"Sorry. So, what did you want to do today? I thought, if it's okay with you, that we could go shopping? I really need to get something more feminine to wear to your barbecue," Lenny said, looking faintly excited about a possible shopping trip. 

"Yes, I'd like that. I haven't been to the shops here, so it'll be nice to find my way around," Amy said, pleased to have something to do while Mark was out. 

As soon as she'd said those words the two big men walked into the kitchen, Mark bending to lift Amy in a hug, and Kevin sending Lenny a glare. She lifted her chin and glared right back, wondering if she had a death wish, because he instantly took a step towards her, checking himself with a self control she didn't think she would have been able to manage. 

Mark dropped a kiss on Amy's lips, lingering for a few seconds and then kissing his way down her neck to bite her shoulder with a growl. She giggled and tried pushing his head away from her, managing it with some difficulty and smiling into his crystal clear green eyes. 

"It's a shame you have to work," Amy murmured, stroking her fingers through his hair as he carried her to the front door. 

"I'll only be gone a few hours," he pointed out, rubbing his cheek on hers. "Use the time to explore the place okay?" 

"Okay. I thought I might go shopping with Lenny..." 

"Hell, no you don't!" he said quickly, staring at her with rapidly narrowing eyes. 

"Why not?" she asked, curious. 

"You ain't taking a cab, that's why. Lenny hasn't got a car, and it's too dangerous for women on their own, and I ain't got time right now to take you myself. Wait until I get back and we can go together," he said. 

"Mark, women takes cabs all the time..." she began, but he cut her off again. 

"Yeah, maybe they do. But you're special, honey, and I ain't gonna take any chances with you. Surely you can wait a few hours?" 

Amy looked at him and bit her lip. She had really wanted to go and get some more steak for him, knowing it was his favourite food. He saw her indecision and the way she hesitated to answer him, but still waited. "Okay, I'll wait," she said, nodding her head. 

Mark's eyes missed very little and he cocked his head. "Tell me you're gonna stay right here," he demanded. 

"I will," she agreed readily, raising her eyebrows. 

"Okay. One thing though," he said, suddenly looking deadly serious. "I don't want you going out there on your own, and I know good and well that Vince wouldn't want you to either. So you are going to stay here, no arguments. And I don't expect you to disobey me on this, okay?" 

"O...okay," she stammered, looking at him warily. 

"Promise me that you will not take a cab anywhere," he continued, not trusting her. 

Surely he couldn't read her mind could he? She carefully plastered an innocent expression on her face, or as close to one as she could manage. "I promise." 

He nodded, seemingly satisfied. He gave her a quick kiss and lowered her to the floor. "Right, We'd better go." He gestured for Kevin and the other man walked over to them, shooting another dirty look behind him at Lenny. "I'll ring you in a while, to make sure everything's all right. You can answer the phone, it'll only be me or Vince, maybe Glenn or Kevin. See ya, darlin'," he said, winking at her and walking out of the house. She watched out of the window as the two men went straight into the garage, leaving Kevin's truck in the driveway. Lenny came up behind her and she turned away from the window, smiling. She waited until she heard the sound of an engine and then went upstairs to get ready for her shopping trip, telling Lenny she wouldn't be a second. It was only a small fib, she told herself, and what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Mind you, her mind helpfully supplied, he'll know when he sees what you've got for dinner. Ah, but he'll be so pleased with it that he'll forget that I went against what he told me to do, she reasoned and happily got herself ready. 

A few minutes later she was standing in the hallway, ready to go. Lenny grinned at her. "I haven't been shopping for ages, I'm looking forward to this. Are we calling a cab?" 

Amy bit her lip and gave a groan. "Damn, I promised Mark I wouldn't take a cab anywhere!" 

"And my brothers gone out, so I can't borrow his car. Couldn't we just get a cab? Mark wouldn't have to know," the other girl asked. 

"Yeah, but I'm really bad at lying, and he would definitely ask. I guess we'll have to cancel for today," she said glumly, dropping her purse on the hall seat. 

Lenny glanced out of the window and her eyes lit up. "Maybe not," she murmured, twisting her lips thoughtfully. "Are the keys to that monster in here anywhere?" 

"Kevin's truck? I'm not sure, but....Lenny! We can't take that, Kevin would kill us." 

"He won't even know, we'll have it back here before he gets back. Come on, it's the only way we'll get to go shopping, and I'm a good driver," she pleaded. 

Amy stared at her and waged a silent battle in her head. What harm could it do? Lenny was right, they would never know. 

"Okay, let's find out if the keys are around anywhere," she said, and the two girls started searching for them. It took a while to locate them, but Amy eventually found them in Mark's desk and grabbed her bag, crossing her fingers to make sure everything went okay. It was quite exciting for her really, never having broken any rules before. Lenny started the big vehicle once they were inside and carefully pulled out of the gates, making her way to the nearest shops, parking as near to the clothes shops as she could get. When she leapt out to the ground she gave the truck a satisfied look, pleased at how well she had parked it and that she had found it fairly easy to handle, as it was bigger than most things she had driven. Amy smiled and thought if only she could tell Mark about this little trip, but she knew he would be furious if he found out. That thought made her stand still for a second, swallowing briefly and then shrugging. How would he ever know? 

Unfortunately for the two girls, Glenn had been on his way to the Arena when he had spotted Kevin's truck. He hadn't been able to see who was driving it but he recognised the license plate, and frowned, making a mental note to ask the other man about it when he saw him. 

Mark was sitting at a table in front of a big queue of autograph hunters, and he glanced up briefly when Glenn settled himself in the seat next to him, wearing his mask. 

"Bit late aren't you?" he muttered, giving a slight smile to the young girl he was handing a photo to. 

"Yeah, I overslept. Traffic was pretty heavy on the way over too. Which reminds me," Glenn said as he started signing pictures of himself, turning to glance at Kevin who was sitting on the other side of Mark. "I saw your truck." 

"My truck?" Kevin said, frowning. 

"Yeah, your truck, you do remember it right? Well, I just saw it." 

"It must have been someone else's ride," Kevin said, shrugging. "Mine's in Mark's driveway." 

"Are you sure? I happened to check out the license plate, it was definitely yours. Someone could have stolen it," Glenn said, frowning behind his face covering. 

Kevin sat and thought for a second. He remembered locking the truck before he left and anyway, Amy and Lenny were there. 

Mark looked at him and then went still as a thought occurred to him. "Oh, hell, no, she wouldn't," he mumbled, scratching at his beard. 

"What?" Kevin asked, shaking hands with another fan. 

"Lenny...and Amy. They wouldn't have taken the truck," Mark said, trying to convince himself. 

"She can't drive can she?" Glenn asked, not looking at Mark as he continued signing autographs. 

"Amy can't, but Lenny can. She mentioned she wanted to go shopping, but I made her promise not to leave the house." His frown got deeper as he thought about that. No, he hadn't made her promise that, he had made her promise not to get a cab. But surely she wouldn't be that sneaky....he closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face as sudden comprehension dawned. Vince had said she used to be sneaky. "I am going to strangle her," he said grimly and Glenn laughed, watching the emotions raging in him. Mark's eyes narrowed and swung in his direction. "You got your cell phone handy?" 

Glenn pursed his lips at the question. "What do you want it for?" 

"To make a call of course," Mark replied calmly. 

"Okay, as long as you ain't using it to shout at that little girl, you may use it," he said, handing the phone over to Mark with a shit eating grin. 

"Don't worry. Shouting isn't what I had in mind at all," he replied, punching his home number into the phone and waiting. No answer, he hissed out a breath and redialled, just in case. Still nothing. Grimly he tried her cell. 

Amy had just finished putting her bags of food in the truck, Lenny helping carry the abundance of stuff she had purchased, when her phone rang and she scrabbled to find it in her bag, not even bothering to look at the caller i.d before she answered. "Hello?" 

"Where are you?" Mark's deep voice asked her in a deadly tone, making her jump and her breath catch, something he must have heard. 

"I'm...er...I'm in the garden," she improvised, glad that it was quiet here and that he wouldn't hear anyone else, her eyes shooting to Lenny's with faint panic. 

"Really? Are you far from the house?" he drawled out slowly, continuing on once he had her negative response. "In that case, perhaps you can do me a little favour?" 

"Er...sure, what's up? Is everything alright?" 

"I hope so. Could you check that Kevin's truck is still out front? Glenn said he thought he saw it a little while ago," he asked her, and she grimaced. 

"S...sure, I'll just...er...would you like me to call you back?" she asked nervously, thinking that maybe she could get home, then call him after they had put the truck back. 

"Why would I want that? It's only a short way to the house, I can wait," he said, sounding strange. 

"Okay," Amy said, walking along the street and back until she judged she had walked roughly the same distance as it would be between the garden and the house. "Yes, his truck is here," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral and hating herself for lying to him. 

"That's good, sweetheart. Just as a matter of interest, did he leave it unlocked?" he asked, knowing full well Kevin never did that. 

"Hang on a sec. Er...yes, it's unlocked," she said, starting to relax a little bit. 

"Are you sure?" he prompted and she bit her lip, wondering if he knew it had been locked. She couldn't take it back now without letting him know she was lying. 

"Yeah." 

"Certain?" he asked, his voice sounding odd again and she frowned, wondering why he kept asking. 

"Er...yes. What's wrong?" 

He was silent for a while and she could hear his breathing get slightly heavier. "Nothing much. You see, darlin', this is one of those things that Kevin's really anally retentive about. He never leaves his truck unlocked. Not ever." 

"But, I thought..." she blurted out before she thought about it. 

"Actually, I have a feeling you didn't think at all," he said, his voice low. "You want to tell me again where the hell you are?" he was sounding angry now and Amy swallowed, wondering how she could possibly get out of this. 

"No," she said in a small voice, wanting to just end the conversation and get home, before he came after her. 

"I can't believe this," he muttered. "I ain't gonna ask again. Where the hell are you?" he snapped, his voice louder than he thought. 

Amy jumped so violently when he yelled that she dropped the phone and fumbled to pick it up again, her fingers inadvertently switching it off in the process. 

Glenn tried not to grin when he saw Mark pull the phone away from his ear and stare at it in shock. "I don't believe this," he mumbled, punching in her number again, his face grim. 

"What's up buddy?" Glenn asked him, pausing briefly in his autograph signing. 

"She cut me off," he said, his quiet tone conveying how angry he was. 

"So would I if you yelled at me like that," Glenn said reasonably. 

"If she thinks that was yelling then she's got a lesson coming to her, I haven't even started yet!" 

"She ain't the only one with a lesson coming. That little brat stole my truck!" Kevin muttered, trying not to be too loud because the fans were still queuing to see him. 

Mark had to dial twice more before Amy finally answered, having only just turned the phone back on. 

"Tell me where you are, right now," he said, trying to keep his voice moderately quiet because of the gawping fans standing on the other side of the table. 

"I...er..." Amy stammered, not wanting to tell him. 

"Don't try my patience," he warned her, his words holding just enough menace to make her answer him. 

"At the...the shops," she confessed and her shoulders slumped. 

"In town?" he queried. 

She looked over at Lenny and grimaced. "Yes." 

"In Kevin's truck?" he asked, his tone incredulous. 

"Mark, listen, we'll take it right back..." 

"You will do nothing of the sort! You wait right there and I'll have someone come and get you both, understand?" 

Amy closed her eyes and firmed her jaw. "No," she said quietly, feeling like a sullen child. 

"Good," he began, obviously thinking she would be wise and give him the right reply. Then she heard his breath hiss out angrily. "Did you just say _no_?" he said harshly and the connection went dead, leaving him staring at the phone again. If it hadn't belonged to Glenn he would probably have smashed it to pieces. Mark looked like someone had wired him up to electrodes. "Goddammit, she did it again! That's it, she's gonna pay," he grumbled, punching in another number and waiting. 

Amy looked at Lenny as she shut the phone off, her eyes darkening with worry. "They know we took the truck, Glenn saw us," she told her quietly. 

"Oh no," Lenny said, her voice a whisper as she thought of what Kevin would likely do to her when they got back. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Well, there's no point in going back right away, we may as well get on with our shopping." 

Amy looked at her like she'd gone mad. "But what if they come back early and we aren't there?" 

"I don't think it will make much difference really. Whatever we do they'll probably kill us. You're lucky, you only have one person who'll skin you alive, I have my brother as well. Come on, let's go shopping and try and forget them all." 

She grabbed Amy's arm and walked briskly back towards the shops, heading straight into a clothing store. Amy couldn't relax, but she did give her comments on various dresses and they eventually found one that looked great on the other girl, making her eyes look almost violet rather than grey. They didn't notice the large man following behind them, not until he tapped Amy on the shoulder. 

She turned and stared up at him, frowning in confusion when Lenny gasped. Then the man put a hand out and motioned for them to hold on while he spoke into his cell phone. 

He chuckled as he looked down at the two girls, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Lenny. "Yeah, right here. Mmm-hmm. Oh yeah, you are dead right about that. What do you want me to do?" He listened for a while and nodded, his eyes briefly lifting and staring at Amy, which made her feel uncomfortable for some reason. 

"Okay, no problem, I'll give Mike a call, he'll be off duty soon and he can handle the...er...package." 

He disconnected from whoever he had been speaking to and held up one finger to them, indicating he wouldn't be long, then he dialled a number and had a brief conversation with someone. Amy looked at Lenny and wondered why she looked so pale. "Who is he?" 

Lenny shook her head. "You don't want to know, believe me." 

When he had finished he grabbed Amy's wrist, making her start to panic, and then he snapped a pair of handcuffs on her, attaching the other end to Lenny's wrist. Amy's wide eyes shot up to the big mans, seeing him smile kindly at her. 

"What....what are you doing?" she asked, tugging experimentally at the metal cuffs but finding them immovable. 

"Just doing what my cousin asked ma'am, sorry about this," he replied and shrugged. He grabbed the chain between the cuffs and started tugging the two girls towards a hardware store, taking them inside despite their attempts to pull away from him. 

Amy's mouth fell open as she watched him attach another set of cuffs to a long metal bar running the length of the counter, effectively trapping them there, and she suddenly realised who he was. Well, Mark had said he had family who lived in town, he just hadn't said who. She couldn't believe her bad luck. 

"You let me out of these, right now!" she demanded as stridently as she could when he had walked behind the counter, but all she got was a set of arched eyebrows and a grin. 

"Can't do that ma'am. You just cool your heels there for a while, then Mike will take you home," he said, as if this was an everyday occurrence. "And you should know better Lenny!" 

Lenny looked down at her feet, but she didn't say a word. 

"Who's Mike?" Amy asked, looking from Lenny to the big man again. 

"He's my brother, and he's a cop, so I'd behave when he gets here if I was you," he told her, starting to go about his business again as if she weren't there. 

She tapped her fingers on the counter and chewed on her lip. Great. Mark was going to murder her, and his cousins were going to help him do it. She slumped against the counter as she thought about it, any false bravado she had leaving her and a shudder running through her. 

"Hey, now, ma'am, don't you worry. Mark's bark is far worse than his bite," the owner said, watching her worried expression. She looked up at him and frowned in confusion. 

"What's your name?" 

"I'm Charlie Calloway, ma'am, but everyone hereabouts calls me CC. Pleased to meet you," he said, smiling and grabbing her free hand to shake it enthusiastically. "And you must be Amy. Mark told me a bit about you when we last spoke." His eyes lifted from hers when he heard the door open and a uniformed police officer walked in, similar in size and looks to himself. 

"Hey Charlie, this her?" he asked, nodding to Amy, and sending a narrow eyed look to Lenny, who was starting to feel like a parcel that had been left behind. 

"Yeah, this is her. Mark's description didn't do her justice did it?" 

The two men stood looking down at her and she found herself blushing at the intensity of their gazes, embarrassed that she was being examined by them. 

"Not at all. Pretty as a picture," the one called Mike murmured, smiling. "But also a law breaker?" 

Amy's mouth fell open at his words. Oh God, he was going to arrest her. 

"Yeah, these two pretty much stole his friend's truck," Charlie told him, sounding highly amused. 

"Theft?" Mike asked, staring at her with a frown. "You know I'm legally obliged to write this up?" he asked them, folding his arms over his chest and looking just like Mark did in that position. Amy swallowed nervously and nodded, dropping her eyes. "Since I'm officially off duty and you are a good friend of my cousin's, I guess I can overlook it this once," he said, surprising her into looking up again. "But if you don't behave yourself while we're waiting for Mark, then I will arrest you. Understand?" 

She nodded again and watched as he unlocked the handcuffs, freeing her wrist. He stood back and watched her for a few seconds, as if waiting to see if she'd run away or not, nodding when she didn't. "Come on, ma'am, and I'll see you back home. Got the keys Lenny?" he took them out of the other girls nerveless fingers as she held them out to him. "Pick me up in a couple of hours okay?" he said to his brother, grinning. 

"No problem, bro, see ya later. Lenny, ma'am," he said politely, nodding as Mike dragged them both out of the store with one big hand under each elbow. Amy found herself easily bundled into the passenger seat of the truck with Lenny whilst Mike started the engine and drove them silently back to Mark's home. 

Mark had ended the call and gone back to signing autographs, sitting there for the best part of two hours, his mind going over all the inventive things he could do to teach her a lesson. He stood up and stretched as the long line of people finally ended and Glenn stood up next to him, grinning. 

"Guess you're going to have fun when you get home, right?" he asked. 

"I don't think Amy will think so," Mark replied, still feeling furious that not only had she gone out, but she had actually stolen Kevin's truck. "It's about time I showed her who's boss." 

"And how are you going to do that, exactly?" Glenn asked, pursing his lips as they walked away from the signing tables finally. 

"Do you really need to ask?" Kevin muttered, his face a study of fury. 

"What would you do in my place?" Mark asked, raising one eyebrow as he stared at the man who had become a good friend over the years. 

"I'd beat her rear end until it was scarlet," Glenn replied, chuckling at Mark's angry expression. "Oh I see. Poor Amy." 

"Poor Amy, my ass. Stealing his goddamn truck, lying to me, cutting me off...she used to be so sweet..." Mark was still muttering when he grabbed his coat and raced out to his bike, Kevin close on his heels, both of them eager to get home and confront the two girls. He could hear Glenn laughing behind him as he revved the engine and roared away from the arena. 

Amy nervously fiddled with the gold chain hanging around her neck as she sat opposite Mike, Mark's cousin. They had arrived home 20 minutes ago and she hadn't known whether or not to move from the room. He had made coffee for them both and had tried to converse with her, but she was so worried about what would happen when Mark got back that she couldn't talk. Lenny had been dropped at her house with strict instructions to stay there, and she had apologised to Amy before she scurried indoors. 

"Didn't you think that Mark might get mad if he found out about your little escapade?" he asked her, sitting back comfortably in his chair. 

She shrugged jerkily. "I wanted to surprise him," she said absently. 

"Well, I think you sure as hell managed to surprise him, but maybe not in the way you were intending to. I brought all your stuff indoors, was that the surprise?" 

"I was going to make his favourite dinner for him," she said, trying to still the overwhelming need to run away. 

"I see," Mike said, twisting his lips thoughtfully. "That's nice, I guess. But what possessed you to take Kevin's truck? No-one ever drives his truck but him anyway." 

That just made her feel worse. "I promised I wouldn't take a cab," she said, as if that explained everything. 

He seemed to understand her. "So by taking Kevin's truck, you weren't breaking any promises? Didn't it occur to you that you'd be breaking Mark's trust instead? He ain't happy with you, and I can't say that I blame him." 

"I know," she said, her voice a whisper where her mouth had gone dry. She took a quick sip of the rapidly cooling coffee and set her mug down. "Do you mind if I go upstairs?" she asked. 

He raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I don't mind at all. As long as you don't try and run off somewhere?" 

"I won't," she said and left the room. She couldn't keep her mind off what he would be like when he got home and she decided that, despite the fact that she was going to get shouted at, she may as well keep her mind occupied and sort out his closet for him, having noticed previously that it was in a complete state. The mind numbing monotony of the job did just what she had hoped and she started to lose some of her trepidation. After an hour she had completely sorted through his clothes, everything in order and neatly put away. She glanced at the bedside clock and realised how much time had passed....and how soon Mark could be home. Her heart starting thumping in her chest again in fear. He wouldn't hurt her, she kept repeating to herself, he hadn't before. But people change and she hadn't made him this mad before. All of a sudden the house felt confining and she had to get outside. She flew silently down the stairs and made her way out to the kitchen, intending to go out the back door and take a walk around the land, just to help clear her mind. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Mike asked, standing just inside the kitchen with a magazine in his hands. 

"I...just...I just wanted to walk for a while," she said, one hand on the door handle, ready to go outside. 

"Okay, well, judging from what you told me earlier, you don't break promises. So promise me you won't leave the grounds," he said, waiting for her to answer. 

"I promise," she said dutifully and rushed out of the door at his nod, running down to what she knew would become a favourite place of hers, a spot next to the lake underneath the branches of a huge tree. She sank down to the ground with her back against the bark and watched the fish rising to catch any errant bugs that landed on the water's surface. 

She had no idea how long she had been sitting there when she became aware of the sound of an engine approaching from the distance, finally recognising it as that of a motorbike. She only wished she had asked Mark if she could go with him today, then she wouldn't be in her current predicament. The bike slowed and then stopped, and she knew it was the two men come back. 


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter thirty-eight 

Mark put his bike away in the garage and strode into the house with Kevin, seeing his cousin Mike sitting in the kitchen reading a magazine on cars. "Hey Mike, how ya doing?" 

"Just fine, buddy, just fine. Seems you two have a little problem?" he said, grinning at the bigger men as they shook hands. 

"Yeah we sure do. It's a little problem I can't wait to straighten out," Mark grumbled, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "Thanks for bringing them back. Where are they?" 

"Your little lady is out the back somewhere. Don't worry," he said, seeing the look on Mark's face. "I made her promise not to leave the grounds. Seems she can keep a promise, even if she has a strange way of going about it." He stood up and stretched, throwing the magazine back on the kitchen table as he looked at Kevin. "I don't know which one you want to get your hands on, but I'm pretty much betting it's Lenny?" 

Kevin nodded, smiling grimly. "Oh, yeah, she's the one I need to have a talk with. Where is she, with Amy?" 

Mike shook his head. "She's in her house, with strict instructions not to even attempt setting foot outside her door." He cocked his head as he heard a car approach. "Right on time," he said, smiling. "Charlie came to pick me up, and I am starving for my dinner, so I'll be off. Oh, and just one thing," he said turning back to face Mark, "go easy on them both, they're a lot smaller than you and they're scared." 

"They're scared? Good, they should be scared!" Kevin snapped, frowning fiercely as he thought about his truck. 

"Yeah, maybe they should. That doesn't mean you should give them reason to justify that fear, okay?" 

"Ah hell, we ain't gonna beat them up or nothing! Why is everyone so goddamn protective of those two?" Mark muttered. 

"Because, having met Amy, I know that she's too sweet a little thing to be going with a monster like you, that's why!" Mike shot at him, grinning. "Well, what are you going to do then? Slap her on the wrist and tell her not to do it again?" Mike asked, grinning at the image that popped into his head. 

"Oh, I'm gonna slap her, but it ain't gonna be on the damn wrist, I was thinking of somewhere a little more southerly!" Mark growled, and Kevin echoed his sentiment, not waiting around any longer and leaving the house. 

Mike laughed and clapped Mark on the shoulder. "Okay, buddy. Well, I'll see you soon okay? Maybe I can bring Jade over to meet you, you haven't seen her yet." 

"Jade huh? That your new girl?" Mark asked, a smile reluctantly pulling at his lips. 

"Yeah, and she's real cute, so keep your eyes off her!" Mike said. 

"Strange thing, but I have a precious jewel all of my own. Amy's full name is Amber," Mark explained, then frowned. "Now get the hell out of my house so I can get on with business!" 

Mike laughed and left, not in the least bit insulted, and Mark stood patiently waiting until he was sure the car had left. His anger had only abated slightly since he had found out about her disobeying him, and now he would finally have a chance to vent it. He walked out of the back door, slamming it hard behind him, his narrowed eyes scanning the surrounding land for any sign of her. He shouted her name and waited, but no sound returned. Goddamn it, he thought, she would pay even more for making him come after her! He strode out of the garden and down through the land until he saw her sitting curled up against a tree on the other side of the lake. He saw her raise her eyes and jump when she saw him and she shakily pulled herself up, her hands resting against the tree as if it could save her. Well, it can't, he thought grimly, marching around the expanse of water and watching her back up rapidly as he closed in on her. Her nerves got the better of her and she turned tail and ran. 

Mark would have laughed at her antics had he not been so furious. He caught up with her in two strides and spun her around to face him, glowering down at her from his superior height. "You want to explain what the hell you think you were doing?" he yelled as she tried to draw away from him, his temper getting the better of him. 

Amy flinched when he yelled, her mouth drying out in fear and her body starting to really quake as she waited for him to vent his formidable anger on her. She couldn't answer him and she saw his eyes narrow at her continued silence, his hands releasing her to clench into fists. 

"No answer huh?" he said through gritted teeth, glaring at her as she backed up again. "Get over here!" he bellowed, pointing in front of him and waiting. When she hesitantly, and quite obviously reluctantly, did as she was told, he grabbed her arm and hauled her along next to him as he marched back to the house. "I told you not to leave, and not only do you disobey me but you have the nerve steal Kevin's truck and then lie about it! You will pay for that, little girl," he said, dragging her through the house and into his study, where he stood breathing heavily as he finally looked down at her, suddenly really seeing her fear. He loosened his grip on her arm and watched as she backed quickly away from him, heading for the corner of the room. His anger was still in partial control and he walked slowly forwards, stalking her and making her back up even more until the wall stopped her. Her eyes wouldn't meet his and she looked down, staring at her feet, her bottom lip trembling. 

She knew from past experience that begging didn't help, nothing she said would steer him from his course of action and so she stayed silent, seeing the floor shimmer as her eyes filled with tears. She had never imagined that he would ever make her feel this way, but she quickly resigned herself to it, so it was something of a shock when his hand lifted and gently nudged her chin up. 

Mark winced when he saw her face, saw the tears she couldn't contain and the way she was shuddering. "Nothing to say?" he asked, his voice soft now but still with a slight edge, indicating he could be pushed over it easily. He almost pulled her close to him and cuddled her, but he fought the impulse. What she had done was wrong, he reminded himself, and it didn't matter who she was or how much she meant to him, she wasn't going to get away with it. He was convinced of that until she spoke. 

She took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking on the word as a tear ran down her cheek and she shrank back against the wall, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. 

He grimaced and hauled her up against him, tucking her head on his shoulder as he carried her over to his big chair and sat down in it. "Dammit, baby, I'm not going to hurt you!" 

"You're mad at me," she said in a small voice, unable to still her shaking or stop her tears. 

"Of course I'm mad at you, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna beat on you. Not all men hit. What you did was wrong. No, not just wrong, it was also illegal. If you'd been caught you'd have been arrested, plus God knows what else could have happened! You should count yourself lucky that I thought to have Charlie and Mike keep hold of you!" He was talking sharply now, angry at her still. "What if you'd had an accident?" 

Amy sniffed and wiped at her eyes, not looking at him. "I'd...I'd have paid for Kevin's car to be fixed," she said, thinking logically. 

"I don't give a damn about the car!" he said, his voice getting louder as he pulled her face away from his shoulder so he could glare at her. "The car could have blown up for all I care, it's you I'm worried about! You could have been hurt, you stupid, irresponsible, child!" 

Amy felt her mouth dry out again at his visible anger, but she managed to whisper, "I'm not a child." 

"If you act like one, I'll treat you like one!" he snapped, his eyes narrowing again. "Do you admit that what you did was wrong?" 

She nodded dumbly, finding it difficult to breathe. "And do you think that you should be punished for it?" 

She sat with her mouth hanging open dumbly. How did she answer that one? He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. 

"Well?" 

"I...guess so," she whispered miserably, swallowing the huge lump in her throat. 

"Good, we agree on something then," he said and lifted her up. One minute she was on his lap the next she was face down over his legs, her rump in the air and his hand pressing on her back. 

"What...?" she gasped and then went stiff and yelped as she felt his hand come down on her backside. Pain and heat bloomed out on her soft flesh as he did it again, and she struggled violently, unable to move herself off his legs because of the big hand holding her down. He slapped again, and then again, not stopping until he had counted out twelve strokes and then pulled her up. Her face was red and she had more tears on it, her eyes looking hurt and angry at the same time as she glared at him. 

"Anything to say now?" he asked her, watching as she moved quickly away from him, one small hand moving to her backside to rub it gingerly. 

"You said you wouldn't beat me. You're a bully!" she said, her voice trembling. 

"Maybe I am, but you damn well deserved that and you know it! Tell me it didn't teach you a lesson, tell me you're gonna disobey me again," he demanded, coming to his feet to stalk her again. "Which reminds me, I'll be looking at Kev's truck soon and if it has a mark on it, I'll be doing that again. Don't say I didn't warn you! God, even Sara never pushed me this far!" 

Her mouth dropped open at the hurtful comment and she reacted without thinking, her hand shooting up to hit him hard across his face as she snapped out, "don't you dare compare me to her!" Her slap had enough force and anger behind it to whip his head sideways, not having expected the move. He didn't give her time to worry about his reaction, or even to get scared at all by her own behaviour, his hands shooting out and grabbing her shoulders so he could give her a hard shake. 

"Believe me, there's absolutely no comparison! She behaved better than you do!" he shouted, hauling her back over to the chair and pulling her across his lap again. 

Amy's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she felt him slap her again on her tender backside and she struggled furiously. "Let me go! You....you bastard...!" 

"Watch your language, you little shrew!" he snapped, his palm landing hard on her backside, making her give a yelp of pain. "I told you that I wouldn't let you get away with slapping me again!" 

"Ow!" she yelled as he hit her again, her struggles slowing somewhat. "I wish Sara was still here giving you fits! No wonder she went off with someone else if this is how you treat people!" she snapped. 

"And no wonder your father beat you, if you acted like this!" he shot right back, enraged beyond belief at what she had said. He pushed her abruptly off his lap and watched dispassionately as she fell on the floor. 

Her face went stark white at his words as she pulled herself up and a second later she was turning and running out of the room at his furious demeanour. She went straight to their bedroom and slammed and locked the door, throwing herself on the bed and laying there, crying her eyes out, as she felt the pain from his spanking throb in her muscles, the pain from his words much worse to endure. She hated him, she decided, trying not to feel guilty at what she had said, knowing that she had hurt his feelings. She hadn't meant it, but he wouldn't know that. Now she was left to wonder if he meant the nasty words he had said to her as well, and her mind muddled around trying to work it all out as she tried to get comfortable. 

This was the first time she had felt unwelcome in his house or in his company, and she hated the feeling. It made her want to leave and, before she gave it any more thought, she pulled her suitcase out from the wardrobe and started throwing her clothes in it. When she had finished she sat down on the bed and bit her lip, thinking about the meal she had wanted to start earlier on. She couldn't even go and do that now, not with him in such a temper, and it wasn't like he would come looking for her to see what she was doing, not now she'd broken his trust in her. She would wait a while and then she would just call a cab and leave, she reasoned. She was sure now that he wouldn't mind her riding in a cab. He didn't care anymore. 

Mark tried the bedroom door a couple of hours later and found it unlocked, and he walked into the room, one quick glance telling him that she wasn't there. His breath caught when he saw her suitcase on the bed, the lid open and her clothes filling it. He didn't want her to leave. God, he thought, he hadn't even thought that this might be a consequence of his actions. Then he frowned. She had been up here a long time, and she would probably have packed straight away, so why hadn't she left already? 

He looked in the en-suite bathroom, but she wasn't there either, so he stood silently and listened, not hearing a thing. Maybe she had gone outside again, he thought, and he went in search of her with a troubled frown. What if she had run off because of the way he had treated her? A search of the estate later and he still couldn't find her and he looked inside the house again, checking all the rooms, his heart heavy. The one place he hadn't looked was the main bathroom and he doubted she'd be in there, but he looked anyway. 

She was laying asleep in the bath, her eyelids still puffy from where she had been crying and he winced as he crouched down near the tub, letting her sleep while he studied her, allowing his relief to course through him as he looked at her small form. She managed to surprise him at every turn and, even though it could be infuriating, it was also exciting. She would keep him on his toes, he thought. 

He reached out and gently shook her shoulder, watching as she woke up reluctantly and then scooted up in the bath when she saw him sitting there, her hands covering her chest as she tried to hide the wince when her backside took her weight. 

"I made dinner," he said, hating the feelings of guilt he had creeping through him. He had to keep reminding himself that she had deserved it. 

"Oh...I...er...I'm not really very hungry," she said quietly, not looking at him. 

"Maybe not, but you will eat," he said, his voice harsher than he meant it to be and she flinched. 

"Okay...thank you," she said softly, her eyes constantly darting from him to the water. She looked so nervous that he knew he was going to cave in and end up apologising to her, just to see her smile again if nothing else. 

"I'm sorry," she said quickly before he could speak. "I didn't mean..." she swallowed and tried again, her voice failing her. 

Mark sighed when he saw her bottom lip tremble and leaned over the tub, pulling her up against him and rocking her. "Amy..." 

"I'm so sorry," she said, starting to cry. "I know it's too late, but I didn't mean what I said. Please don't hate me." 

Mark groaned and kissed the top of her head. "I couldn't hate you if I tried, sweetheart. Stop crying now, come on, it's all okay," he murmured, continuing to whisper softly to her as he tried to calm her down. It took a long time and he felt like crap when she finally stopped howling into his shoulder, knowing it was him who had made her like it. Eventually she gave a soft hiccuping sigh and relaxed against him with one final shudder, worn out from her bout of crying and enjoying his warmth and strength. 

"Amy, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean what I said either," he said, stroking her damp hair with one hand, the other holding her pressed against him. 

"S'okay," she murmured, her voice sounding husky from her tears. 

"No it isn't, I had no right to say what I did. I should never have brought her name into it. You're nothing like her at all, and that's a really good thing. You hurt me with what you said, I guess I was hitting back," he admitted, sounding disgusted with himself. 

"So was I," she confessed, still snuggled against him. "You hurt me." 

Mark ran his hand down her back and cupped her bottom in his palm, kneading the tense muscles even as she tried to squirm away from the touch, her flesh too sensitive. "I'm sorry it hurt you so much, but I ain't sorry I did it. I'd do it again too, although maybe I'd control my temper a little better," he told her, watching as she drew her flushed wet face away from his shoulder and stared at him accusingly. "Ah, don't look at me like that! I want to be with you, honey, and if you want to be with me then you have to know what I'm like. I will not put up with the sort of behaviour you displayed today. You got me?" 

"You'd hit me....like that...again?" she asked, trying to identify the feelings coursing through her. 

"In a heartbeat. That doesn't mean that I actually want to though. But let me throw the question back at you. Would you disobey me again?" he raised his eyebrows and waited for her answer. 

"No," she said quickly. 

"Then I won't have to hit you again will I?" he said reasonably, putting more pressure on her backside and pulling her closer to his big body. He released the pressure when she moaned, rubbing his palm lightly over the soft curves. "Want to explain why you stole Kevin's truck?" 

"I wanted to surprise you," she started to explain and he burst out laughing. 

"Well, hell, honey, it worked!" he said, placing her in front of him and grabbing a towel to dry her with. He quickly accomplished that task and carried her through to the bedroom, selecting some clothes and dressing her, then staring down at her. "Let's go and eat, then we can spend the rest of the evening cuddling, what do you say?" 

"I'd like that," she said quietly, taking his hand and holding it securely when he offered it, looking forward to getting back to normal if that was possible. 

While they sat eating, Amy glanced around and frowned. "Where's Kevin?" 

"He went off to find Lenny, I assume he's still there. I'll go and look when we've finished, okay?" 

"Okay," she nodded, concentrating on her meal once more. 

As soon as Mark took the last mouthful of his food he leaned across and kissed her, looking vaguely guilty, then going out the back door to find Kevin. 

When he did find him he dissolved in hysterics at the sight that greeted him. Kevin was standing at the bottom of a big tree near Lenny's house, his hair matted with what looked like syrup, and he was staring up furiously at Lenny, who was sitting precariously halfway up it on a slim branch. 

"Don't fucking laugh, Calloway," Kevin spat out, his eyes sparking as he looked at the girl in the tree. 

"What the hell happened to you?" 

"She happened!" Kevin growled, glaring up at Lenny again. "But she can't stay up there all day, and when she comes down I'm going to teach her a lesson she won't ever forget!" 

"Well, why don't you go up and get her?" Mark asked, staring up and seeing that Lenny wasn't wearing a coat and it was starting to get chilly outside now. 

"I tried that," the other man muttered, pointing to a broken branch that had snapped under his immense weight. "I can wait." 

"Shame, I made you some dinner which is getting cold, too," Mark mused, raising his eyebrows. 

Kevin frowned and rubbed his stomach, never one to pass up a meal. "Well, I guess I could come and eat." 

"Of course you could, she ain't going nowhere for a while. Well, she might come down the tree, but she lives here doesn't she? Where else could she go?" 

"Don't you go thinking you've got away with this," Kevin shouted up at her, glaring. "I'll make sure you pay, so don't relax anytime soon!" 

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" she shouted down at him with false bravado, and he gritted his teeth. 

"Goddamn it...!" 

"Kev, come on, let's go," Mark said, grabbing his friend's shoulder and forcibly dragging him away from the tree. As they walked back to his house he studied the other mans face. "What's gotten into you? You never lose your temper that easily." 

"She got into me, she's a damn brat. It's about time someone took a belt to her," he muttered, walking into the house and smiling tightly at Amy as he sat down and dragged his lukewarm dinner towards him. He started munching on the food without saying another word and Mark had to hide his smile. He couldn't remember a time when a woman had ever gotten under Kevin's skin the way Lenny did, and he had to wonder if it was just hatred they felt for each other. 


	39. Chapter 39 the final

Chapter thirty-nine 

No-one saw Lenny until the day of the barbecue, when she popped round to help out with the food. Kevin spotted her straight away and narrowed his eyes, but instead of rushing towards her to attack her as she had expected, he just sent her a cold, calculating smile. It had the ability to make her worry more than if he had actually started hitting her and she looked quickly away from him. 

Amy smiled and pulled her into the kitchen where she was busily preparing different dishes. "I'm so glad you came, I didn't think you would," she said. 

"I wasn't sure if I should, actually. But I'm not going to be scared away by that big idiot, no matter what I did," Lenny said, looking around the kitchen. "So, what can I help you with?" 

Amy gave her some things to be getting on with and they spent the next couple of hours making bowls of salad, pasta salad, potato salad. Then she started on wedges and jacket potatoes, knowing how much Mark and Kevin could put away and thinking of the big men that would be coming there that afternoon. She only hoped she had done enough food. Still, with all the steaks and burgers that Mark had bought, there should be enough to feed a small army. 

The time was passing incredibly quickly because there was so much to do and before she knew it people had started arriving. "I haven't even put my dress on yet!" Amy grumbled, staring down at her jeans and T-shirt and thinking of the nice summery dress she had put out on the bed. Okay, she thought, so the weather wasn't so hot, but it wasn't cold outside really, so she would be fine. 

Stephanie came in and gave her a hug, her eyes flicking to where Paul Wight was standing and then quickly looking away when he caught her staring. "Hey sis, how's everything?" 

"Just great," Amy answered, grinning. 

"Well, you certainly look good, I must say," the older girl said, studying her. "I'm looking forward to my stay here, it's a lovely place." 

"I'm looking forward to you being here," Amy said, almost bouncing around with excitement. She introduced Steph to Lenny and the three of them rushed off to get themselves ready, Lenny having to run back home to get changed. By the time Amy and Steph were ready, most of the guests had arrived and they were greeted by several people on their way to the kitchen. Mark turned to look at Amy as she came back downstairs and he had an odd sparkle in his eyes, a smile curving his lips when he saw her. He excused himself from where he was talking to Glenn, and Jeff Hardy, and came over to her, drawing her close to him so he could give her a gentle kiss. "You look stunning," he whispered, grinning at her pleased expression. 

"It's only an ordinary dress," she murmured, looking down at herself. 

"Yeah, but on you it looks stunning." He framed her face in his big hands and stared at her strangely. "Yes, I think it's time," he murmured and then kissed the tip of her nose, turning and walking away before she could ask what he had meant by that. She shook off the confusion and went straight into the kitchen, finding Steph, Tammy, Linda and Lenny all in there setting bowls of food out on the big wooden table. 

"Hey, sweetie," Linda said, giving her a quick hug and then returning to what she was doing. "This all looks fantastic. It's a good job Vince hasn't seen it yet, or half of it would be gone. We've had a problem keeping them lot out of here as it is. You know what they can be like when they smell food!" 

Amy frowned. "Has anyone started the barbecue yet?" 

Linda nodded and gave her a smile. "Mark's already got everything going, don't worry. I guess you've been too busy to notice?" 

"Yeah, I have a bit," Amy murmured and looked over at Lenny, her eyebrows going up when she saw her. She had only seen the other girl in jeans and T-shirts, and Mark had said she was a bit of a tomboy. But today she was wearing a gypsy style blouse and skirt with a fringed sash hanging around her hips and her hair cascading down her back like a curtain. She had even put on a touch of makeup. Amy smiled at her. "You look really pretty," she said honestly, watching as the other girl shifted with discomfort. "I love the outfit." 

"It belongs to Rachel, but she can't fit into it right now so she said I could borrow it. I wanted to wear jeans," Lenny said, looking plainly disgusted with her attire. 

"Well, I'm glad she did. I tell you what, I bet a few of these wrestlers will be looking at you today!" Amy laughed at the other girl's expression and then started helping put the food out. 

In no time Mark was bellowing to her to bring some plates, as the meat was cooked, and she rushed outside to take it from him, laughing uncontrollably as the food was instantly taken from the plate she was holding and eaten. It was like being in the midst of a bunch of Piranhas. 

Linda came out with a mixed plate for Amy, grinning and rolling her eyes. "Here, I managed to get this before they tried to eat me too. I knew we'd have a problem as soon as they sensed the food was done!" 

Amy took the plate and added a burger to it before finding a spot to sit down with the other girls. She had been right about one thing, there were some men giving Lenny a few appreciative looks, and the other girl was constantly blushing under the scrutiny. What was surprising though, was that Kevin Nash hadn't taken his eyes off her since she had emerged from the house, and he looked dazed. Amy looked at him and then back at Lenny, seeing her try and avoid that heated look, and she smiled. She just knew things were going to get really interesting today. 

The party progressed well, and when Mark put music on she found herself dancing with Vince. "Do you like it here, Peaches?" he asked her suddenly, looking serious about something. 

She studied him for a second and then nodded. "I love it here. Why?" 

"Oh, just wondering, that's all. I only want you to be happy, God knows you deserve it," he said, swinging her around to the music and then lightening up and grinning. "Mark doesn't know how lucky he is." 

She frowned with confusion, but didn't say anything. It was probably just Vince being Vince, he was always picking at Mark in jest, so she chose to ignore it and just enjoy the dance. When the song finished, Kevin tapped Vince's shoulder and she had to dance with him next, looking around for Mark and wondering where he had got to. She didn't see him for another four dances and then he finally broke in, pulling her gently against him and wrapping his arms around her. "It's about damn time," he murmured, smiling down at her with wicked eyes. "I've had to sit there watching you being held by all those other men. It was killing me!" 

"Then why didn't you come and get me sooner? I couldn't see you anywhere," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck when he bent down. "Where were you?" 

"I had to go and get something out of the study," he said, pursing his lips. 

She stopped moving and stared up at him suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. "What?" 

"You really want to know?" 

"Yes, I really want to know! What have you been doing?" she asked him, folding her arms across her chest and staring up at him with amusement. 

"Well, if you really want to know," he said and grabbed her hand, pulling something out of his pocket as he did so. "I was getting this." He straightened her fingers out and then slipped a ring onto her engagement finger, running his thumb over it before kissing her hand and releasing it. 

Amy looked down in shock at the delicate gold ring she was now wearing. It had an intricate lace design with tiny diamonds and emeralds all surrounding a bigger green stone that sparkled up at her, and it was a perfect fit. Her breath caught in her throat and she stared up at him, waiting for him to say something. 

"You might consider us engaged now," he said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging, almost as if he were embarrassed. 

"What?" she asked in a hushed voice, still shocked. 

"Hmm, I guess I didn't go about that the right way, did I? Okay then, how about this," he said, grinning suddenly and then dropping to one knee in front of everybody and grabbing her hand. "Amber Travis McMahon, I love you with all my heart and I've come to realise that I can't live without you. Will you please marry me?" 

Amy's lips fell open and she felt her eyes fill with tears as her hand came up to cover her mouth, unable to believe what he had just said, or that he had announced it in front of all his friends and her family. When she said nothing he frowned. "Come on, baby, you have to answer me one way or another. But I'll tell you right now, if you say no I'm going to throw myself under the wheels of a truck!" 

Amy pulled herself together with some effort and nodded. "Of course I'll marry you, I love you," she whispered and he closed his eyes in relief, pulling her hard against him and squeezing the breath out of her. 

"Oh thank God," he murmured into her neck, and a shudder passed through him. "I thought you were going to say no." 

"I couldn't say no to you, I love you too much," she said softly, stroking his hair. She looked up as people started to approach them and smiled when she saw Vince and Linda. 

"Congratulations Peaches," Vince said, tapping Mark to make him let go of her and then pulling her into an embrace. "I hope you'll be very happy together. I just wish I'd had you with us for a bit longer." 

"Well she isn't leaving this house," Mark said, frowning at Vince when he let her go. Linda instantly hugged her then, and Stephanie, Tammy and Lenny crowded her, blocking her from Mark's view. 

Vince put his hands in his pockets and grinned at the bigger man. "Don't worry, I'm not taking her away. I don't think she'd go with me anyway, do you? You just make sure you treat her well," he warned. 

"I love her, Vince, I couldn't treat her any other way," Mark admitted, his face softening when he caught sight of her again. He received well wishes from his friends and had to almost fight his way back to her, waiting until everyone had started partying again before he picked her up and started dancing with her again. 

Amy stared into his face and leaned in to kiss him, dropping small kisses all over his eyes and cheeks before settling on his mouth. "I love you so much." 

"I love you too, darlin'," he murmured, staring into her eyes from an inch away. "Are you sure you want to marry me?" 

"More than anything in the world," she said, still staring at him in the same warm way. 

He smiled at the look and nuzzled her neck. "I only hope I can make you happy," he said, his worry evident in his voice. 

"Hey, you've already made me happy. I love it here, I love being with you. You're the most perfect man I've ever met," she said softly, stroking a hand down his face. 

"I don't know about perfect, honey, I'm just a man," he said, laughing at her rapt expression. 

"Yeah, well you're just my man now," she told him, grinning and then hugging him to her as he covered her mouth with his, kissing her with all the love he felt for her. 

Vince watched them as he and his wife danced together and he smiled, happy in the knowledge that Amy would always be safe and protected from now on, and more importantly she would be loved. 

**THE END**

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****_****Okay, it's corny I know, but I had to finish it somehow, and this seemed appropriate. Hope it wasn't too rushed! Now I can get on with my other ones!! Which reminds me, should I write one on Kevin Nash and Lenny??****_


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